Tghat Forum Launch

Tghat Forum Launching Announcement and Poster

The world is waking up to the horrors of the Tigray war. The war – which has since morphed into a genocidal campaign on the people of Tigray – is fundamentally about existential challenges in state building, democracy and regional peace in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. The prospect of peace, democracy and development in the region requires unravelling the complex issues related to the conflict, and mapping pathways. Tghat Forum seeks to contribute to the understanding of these issues through genuine and honest conversations.

The Launching of Tghat Forum

The launch of Tghat Forum introduces academic panel discussion of the issues raised by the war on Tigray, and the ramifications for the Horn of Africa. Through their individual expertise, the panellists explore the ways in which the conflict is a manifestation of problems and politics throughout the region, possible outcomes, and solutions. 

Goitom Gebreleul explains what a post-war Ethiopia might look like, considering the potential fragmentation of the country and secession in practice. Goitom is a political analyst with a PhD in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Cambridge, specialising in nationalism, democratization, ethnicity, and inter-state affairs. 

Patrick Wight discusses international responses to the war and the challenges of intervention from international bodies such as the United Nations and African Union. Patrick holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Guelph, Canada, and had written extensively on peace process in South Sudan before shifting his research focus to Ethiopia. 

Chessie Baldwin brings into discussion the gendered dimensions of the war, including the functions and practice of conflict-related sexual violence. Chessie is a PhD Candidate in History from the University of Reading, United Kingdom, researching in women’s experiences of conflict and militarism in Tigray since the liberation war. 

Moderated by Gebrekirstos Gebreselassie and Teklay Gebremichel.