Addis Ababa, August 21, 2026 (FMC) — President of the Ethiopian Institute for Public Diplomacy (EIPD) Yassin Ahmed has warned that conflict-driven regional alliances are deepening polarization and threatening stability in the Horn of Africa, citing what he described as Egypt’s support for regional actors, particularly the Eritrean regime.
Speaking to local news agency ENA, Yassin said the alliance known as “Tsimdo,” meaning “Alliance,” initially emerged between the Eritrean regime and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) before expanding to include the Sudanese regime, while Egypt, in his assessment, has supported the Eritrean side. He said the involvement of multiple regional actors in such alliances risks aggravating tensions and conflict instead of advancing regional cooperation, development and stability.
“These alliances are not based on economic partnership and regional integration, but rather on hostility and conflict, and therefore threaten the stability of the Horn of Africa,” Yassin said.
He further warned that attempts by external and regional forces, particularly Egypt, alongside the Eritrean and Sudanese regimes, to influence developments inside Ethiopia would not achieve their intended objectives.
Turning to Ethiopia’s internal affairs, Yassin described the Pretoria Agreement as a historic milestone that brought an end to a phase of conflict and opened the way for peace, reconstruction and the restoration of essential services in the Tigray region.
He said the TPLF is facing a political and ideological crisis, arguing that the movement has undergone no fundamental transformation in its political approach since its establishment in 1975 until its loss of control over the central government.
According to Yassin, the continuation of what he described as political and ideological stagnation is driving the movement toward choices that run counter to the population’s aspirations for peace and stability, even as public awareness of the importance of dialogue continues to grow.
He also said young people in the Tigray region are leaving their areas for neighboring regions, citing concerns over renewed conflict and what he described as attempts at forced recruitment.
“The people of Tigray have become aware of their rights and understand that peace and security come through dialogue, while the TPLF continues to rely on military force to attain power,” Yassin said.
He underscored the unity of the Ethiopian people and growing national consensus as important safeguards against attempts to destabilize the country, while highlighting the Ethiopian National Dialogue as a key platform for advancing peace and limiting external interference.
“The success of the National Dialogue and the unity of the Ethiopian people will constitute an impregnable barrier against attempts at external interference and efforts to destabilize Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa,” Yassin said.
Yassin concluded that lasting stability in the Horn of Africa cannot be built through military alliances or regional polarization, but through dialogue, economic cooperation and deeper integration among the countries of the region.