Ethiopia in 2025 stands at a precarious political and humanitarian juncture. Although the November 2022 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement formally ended the large-scale war in Tigray, subsequent developments demonstrate that the country has not transitioned into stable peace. Instead, overlapping regional conflicts, institutional fragmentation, and heightened geopolitical tensions continue to undermine national stability and exacerbate human-rights vulnerabilities.
Independent monitors note that violence persists across multiple regions. The Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (GCR2P) reports that populations in Ethiopia remain at risk of atrocity crimes, as fighting continues in Amhara, Tigray, and Oromia, and accountability mechanisms remain absent. Human Rights Watch’s 2025 World Report similarly documents serious abuses by federal forces and aligned militias in Amhara, including extrajudicial killings, drone strikes affecting civilians, and attacks on medical personnel, reflecting a broader pattern of impunity. The continued absence of credible investigations into wartime atrocities in Tigray, combined with the expiration of the UN International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE), has further limited avenues for justice.
Meanwhile, the slowing of political reforms has weakened Ethiopia’s institutional capacity to manage these crises. Although early initiatives after 2018 expanded political space, recent assessments indicate persistent security-force abuses, constraints on civil liberties, and inconsistent adherence to the rule of law. The erosion of public trust in state institutions undermines prospects for democratic consolidation and heightens the potential for political grievances to manifest as violence.
In sum, Ethiopia’s political landscape in 2025 is shaped by internal fragmentation, unresolved regional conflicts, and escalating geopolitical tensions. These dynamics collectively endanger the human rights of Ethiopian civilians and impede pathways toward sustainable peace. Durable stability will require renewed commitment to inclusive political dialogue, credible accountability mechanisms, and strengthened protections for civil and political rights.
References
- Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (GCR2P). Ethiopia – Country Report on Atrocity Risk (2025).
- Human Rights Watch. World Report 2025: Ethiopia.
- U.S. Congressional Research Service. Ethiopia: Conflict, Governance, and Human Rights (2024–2025).
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