Global Conflict & Crisis Strategic Solutions (GC2S2)
Projects: Currently, GC2S2 is developing two main projects focused on Syria and Lebanon. The Syria aid basket project is designed to provide 3,100 refugees with a monthly supply of essential food and hygiene kits. The Lebanon project is designed around digital literacy and English courses to alleviate rural Lebanon’s lack of educational access.
Key Statistics
Total Ethiopian Population: 120 Million
Total Population in the State of Tigray: 7 million
The Tigray Conflict began in November 2020, and since then, roughly 3 million people have been displaced within the Tigray region, as well as 600,000 dead.
Over ⅔ of Tigrayans were in need of emergency food assistance.
Access to basic services, such as healthcare and education, have been severely disrupted, affecting around 2.3 million people in Tigray.
Since the start of the conflict, more than 60,000 refugees have fled from Tigray to neighboring Sudan.
Multiple mass killings by soldiers on both sides have been documented in Tigray, with the reported death toll exceeding 1,000 people in the town of Axum alone.
Conflict Background
The Tigray Conflict is an ongoing armed struggle that started in the northern region of Ethiopia in November 2020. The conflict involves various parties, most prominently the government led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), competing regional authorities, and the bordering nation of Eritrea. In Ethiopia, the regions are delineated based on ethnic demarcations, with regional governments predominantly composed of the respective dominant ethnic group.
The TPLF was once the dominant political party in the ruling coalition, but its influence waned after Ahmed came to power in 2018. Ahmed implemented political reforms aimed at centralizing power away from regional-ethnic authorities; thus challenging the TPLF’s influence.
Tensions escalated when the TPLF held regional elections in September 2020, defying the federal government’s decision to postpone all elections due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ethiopian government considered the elections illegal, which further strained relations between the two sides.
The political turmoil turned to violence when the central government launched a military offensive in response to an alleged attack by the TPLF on the Northern Command HQ. The government declared a state of emergency in Tigray and initiated a military campaign to disarm the TPLF and restore federal control over the region.
The unrest has been characterized by fierce fighting, human rights abuses, and reports of civilian casualties. Both sides have been accused of committing atrocities, including mass murder, gender based violence, and the destruction of critical infrastructure. The conflict has also resulted in a large-scale humanitarian crisis, with nearly three million people displaced and in need of assistance1. However, in November of 2022, a ceasefire was called and the violence has ceased. Peace has been achieved, but the humanitarian crisis is ongoing.
Current Issues
Food aid to Ethiopia has been suspended by the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) after discovering that humanitarian supplies intended for those in the conflict zone were being stolen, likely by corrupt military officials. The suspension comes because of a countrywide review that uncovered a widespread and coordinated campaign diverting food assistance from the Ethiopian people. The investigation suspects that Ethiopian government officials were involved in the corrupt diversion of aid.
The US is the largest donor to Ethiopia, providing $1.8 billion in aid in 2022 alone. The thefts were described as a coordinated criminal scheme to enrich government officials and military officers assigned to the war torn region. Ethiopia has a history of famines and conflicts, and aid agencies have struggled to ensure that food donations reach those in need and are not seized by combatants.
Investigations revealed instances of US-supplied grain being sold in local markets. The Ethiopian government has pledged to investigate the diversion of aid alongside the US, though the UN is conducting their own probe. Though the investigation is not yet complete, there is a strong possibility that the stolen aid was part of a conspiracy between local officials and Ethiopian soldiers.
Solutions
GC2S2 could aid greatly in the long-term development of food security in Tigray through sustainable agricultural practices and local food production. Our organization would provide training and education programs to farmers and communities on sustainable agricultural practices, including efficient water usage, soil conservation, and innovative farming methods. This would improve productivity, food quality, and self-sufficiency, actively reducing the need for external assistance.
GC2S2 encourages farmers to diversify their crop production to ensure food security and reduce vulnerability to external shocks. Active promotion of growing a variety of crops helps mitigate the risk of crop failure and provides a more nutritious diet. Active promotion of crop diversification would more effectively mitigate the economic impact of a crop failure. Additionally, producing a variety of foodstuffs is more nutritionally beneficial. Furthermore, this addresses the challenges policymakers face when implementing policy that withholds short-term assistance from those in need.
Enhancing roads, bridges, and other transportation systems will reduce delays and spoilage. This solution is plausible, but would require tremendous cooperation from local authorities. Such improvements require significant financial resources, a significant mobile security presence, technical expertise, and sustained investment. Improving transportation requires significant financial and material resources, careful planning, and assured government cooperation. Improving infrastructure is also subjected to external risks, such as weather delays and jobsite looting. Maintaining the longevity of any transportation system also requires ongoing investments and maintenance that can be disrupted by political change or economic downturns. This solution is not necessarily viable for policymakers and humanitarian groups who feel that providing anything short of immediate food aid is unacceptable.
Another option is upgrading various storage facilities, which will help prevent food spoilage, minimize losses, and ensure proper inventory management. Concentrating resources in a fixed area is highly likely to succeed in meeting sustainability goals. As opposed to transportation networks, logistical hubs require significantly less maintenance over time. Improving food storage capacity in select locations would be faster, provide more tangible results, and rely less on government support.
Critically, providing modern food storage depots both allows for an increased efficiency for food distribution, and gives options to policymakers who do not wish to be seen withholding aid. A food storage facilities project is the best of both worlds. Firstly, such a project can better secure and monitor food aid that is going into the country. Secondly, the facilities can increase the efficiency of the local agricultural sector, thus achieving long-term sustainability goals. Lastly, food storage facilities embedded in communities can grow into modern farmers markets, providing safer and more hygienic storage space for local farmers while also providing them with greater distribution access.
These infrastructure improvements enable efficient aid delivery and support the development of sustainable food systems, ultimately empowering communities to achieve self-sufficiency and reducing reliance on external assistance.
Bibliography
“Ethiopia,” June 14, 2023. https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/ethiopia/.
“Ethiopia’s Tigray Refugee Crisis Explained.” Accessed June 29, 2023. https://www.unrefugees.org/news/ethiopias-tigray-refugee-crisis-explained/.
UNHCR. “Ethiopia Tigray Emergency.” Accessed July 1, 2023. https://www.unhcr.org/emergencies/ethiopia-tigray-emergency.