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2 hours ago
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Germany updates: Klingbeil urges stonger ties with Africa – DW – 07/16/2025
German Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil has called for closer relationships with the Global South as he heads to a G20 meeting in South Africa. Back home, the far-right AfD has made gains in a new poll. DW has the latest. Several German states are pushing for a shake-up of Germany's summer holiday calendar, saying the south has been keeping an unfair edge. Critics have been arguing that families elsewhere have been stuck with peak prices while Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg enjoy their late breaks. Leaders in the south have been insisting they won't budge, saying the traditional rhythm has been part of their identity for decades.A 47-year-old German man has drowned off the northern coast of France after becoming trapped by the rising tide in the English Channel, local rescue services confirmed on Wednesday. According to the French fire brigade, the man was trapped on a sandbank near the small town of Audresselles, between Calais and Boulogne-sur-Mer, along with seven other people, including several children. By the time rescue crews reached the group, the man had already suffered a cardiac arrest and could not be resuscitated. A nine-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy, also German, were taken to hospital in Boulogne-sur-Mer having inhaled water but still conscious. Rescue crews were continuing to search the area by boat on Wednesday evening to ensure that nobody had been left behind. Maritime authorities in northern France regularly warn visitors to pay attention to the tides, saying: "It only takes a few minutes to be taken by surprise by a rising tide." Ahead of a meeting of G20 finance ministers in Durban, South Africa, on Thursday, German Finance Minister and Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil has stressed the need for Berlin to work on its relationships with the global south. "Given trade conflicts and global insecurities, we must further our existing partnerships and develop new ones," said Klingbeil, the leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the junior partner in Germany's coalition government. "Our partners in the global south share in particular an interest in reliable trade relations and the rule of international law," he said on Wednesday. "Yet Germany has neglected these relationships for too long while Russia and China have increased their influence. We have to change this." In order to achieve this, Klingbeil wants to involve more African countries in the "Compact with Africa" initiative, which was launched under the German presidency of the G20 in 2017, as well as greater private investment in African states. "The interest in greater cooperation with Germany and Europe is great," he said. "But it requires hard work, respect and concrete offers." During his visit to Durban, Klingbeil is set to visit South Africa's biggest harbor and hold meetings with German businesses in the country. South Africa currently holds the G20's rotating presidency and will host the G20 summit in Johannesburg in November. Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has narrowed the gap with the conservative CDU/CSU bloc, according to a new YouGov poll. The AfD gained two points since last month to hit 25% support, while the CDU and its Bavarian sister party, the CSU, slipped one point to 27%. If an election were held this Sunday, the poll showed the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) stuck at 14%. The environmentalist Greens dipped to 11%, down one point, while the socialist Left Party rose two points to 10%. Support for Sahra Wagenknecht's new populist BSW party held steady at 5%. The business-focused Free Democrats stayed at just 3%. The survey was conducted between July 11 and 14, just after a Bundestag vote to appoint constitutional court judges collapsed amid a coalition rift between the CDU/CSU and SPD. YouGov noted it was unclear whether the failed vote influenced the results, pointing out that political events often take time to show up in polls. The poll surveyed 1,820 eligible voters from a total sample of 2,192 participants. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Germany is set to tighten its pandemic response by putting updated World Health Organization (WHO) rules into national law. The Cabinet on Wednesday approved draft legislation that will implement recent changes to the WHO's International Health Regulations. The new rules, agreed by WHO member states in 2024, aim to speed up information-sharing during outbreaks and strengthen lab and healthcare capacity worldwide. "The global community must be better prepared for health crises," Health Minister Nina Warken said. "The coronavirus pandemic has taught us this." Key measures include requiring countries to report potential international health emergencies to the WHO and to maintain "core capacities" like lab diagnostics and risk communication. The Health Ministry stressed that the law won't limit Germany's sovereignty or its ability to impose domestic protective measures. The draft will now go to parliament for final approval. The organization Environmental Action Germany (DUH) has called for help in identifying sites where the pollutant nitrogen dioxide (NO2) could be present in the air in dangerous amounts. It launched a project on Wednesday during which all German residents can send in their suggestions for where measurements should be taken. The project runs until August 24. Participants will receive two small plastic tubes that they can place at the sites to help measure the degree of pollution, with the results evaluated in a laboratory in October. The DUH has criticized the fact that there are fewer than 300 measuring stations for nitrogen dioxide near locations with traffic and wants to create 500 to 600 more with its project. Nitrogen dioxide, a gas emitted by diesel vehicles in particular, has been found to cause eye irritation and damage to mucous membranes in the respiratory tract. High concentrations have been shown to contribute to bronchitis and pulmonary edema, while studies demonstrate a connection between high exposure to the gas and cardiovascular disease. The DUH says that 28,000 people per year die of illnesses resulting from high exposure to NO2. In Germany, 17 million people — or 20.6% of the population — now live alone in their own homes, according to new figures from the country's federal statistics office, known as Destatis. Twenty years ago, that share was just 17.1% (14 million people). Older people are most likely to live alone: 34% of those over 65 do so, and among those aged 85 and older, the share jumps to 56%. But young adults between 25 and 34 also stand out, with 28% living alone — well above average. Women live alone slightly more often than men (21.2% versus 20%). Compared to the EU average of 16.2%, Germany's share of solo households is high — only Lithuania, Finland, Denmark, Estonia and Sweden have higher rates. The lowest shares are found in Slovakia, Ireland and Poland. Single-person households are already the most common household type in Germany, making up 41.6% of all households. According to forecasts, this share could exceed 45% by 2040. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Living alone can come with downsides: one in four people living alone says they often feel lonely — much higher than the 16.3% average for the general population aged ten and older. Loneliness is most common among those under 30 who live alone: nearly 36% of them report feeling lonely frequently. Among solo households aged 65 and older, that share drops to just 17.6%. Single people are also more at risk of poverty. In 2023, 29% of people living alone were considered at risk of poverty — nearly twice as high as the rate for the total population. The proportion of women who sit on supervisory boards at German-listed companies has edged down slightly, according to a new study by the group Women in Supervisory Boards (Fidar). Women held 37% of seats at 179 listed firms, down from 37.3% last year. A quarter of companies had an equal number of men and women on their supervisory boards. The picture at the executive level improved a little, with women now holding 19.9% of management board positions — up from 19.3% a year earlier. The data covers companies on Germany's DAX indices plus other publicly traded and co-determined firms. Germany introduced a binding 30% quota for women on supervisory boards in 2016. Large listed firms with boards of more than three members must also have at least one woman and one man to meet gender participation rules introduced in mid-2022. China has removed its sanctions against German Green Party politician Reinhard Bütikofer after blacklisting him in retaliation for EU measures over alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang, EU officials said Friday. The measure, seen as part of Beijing's push to reopen dialogue with the European Parliament, comes days ahead of an EU-China summit in Beijing. Bütikofer chaired the parliament's China delegation until this year. In response to the news, the politician slammed China's approach as "arbitrary" and lacking any real political coherence. He pointed out that other EU targets — including Berlin's Mercator Institute for China Studies — remain blacklisted. Beijing imposed the bans in 2021 after the EU hit Chinese officials with asset freezes and travel bans over the treatment of the Muslim Uighur minority in Xinjiang. The sanctions barred Bütikofer and others from entering China or doing business there. Calls for a shake-up of Germany's summer holiday timetable are growing louder, as more states push for an end to what they see as an unfair advantage for Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg — the only two states that always start their school break last. While most of Germany's states rotate their summer holiday slots each year to ease travel chaos and spread demand for holiday accommodation, the two southern states keep their late break thanks to their traditional Catholic Pentecost holidays. The Standing Conference of State Ministers of Education says the special rule ensures enough learning and exam time between Pentecost and the summer break. But critics argue that families in other states are stuck with peak season prices and packed roads, while parents in the south can avoid the rush by taking advantage of the early summer Pentecost period. "This rigid system is no longer fair," said the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia's Education Minister Dorothee Feller. Rhineland-Palatinate's Education Minister Sven Teuber echoed her call, telling the German newspaper : "Summer holidays are not a privilege for a few states. We need constructive solutions, including from those that have shown little flexibility so far." "State uprising against extra sausage for Bavaria," was the newspaper's online headline, using a German term for preferential treatment. Germany's holiday calendar is based on the 1964 Hamburg Agreement, which fixes the total number of school holiday days at 75 per year and sets a framework for when the summer break can start — depending on Easter and Pentecost dates. Bavaria's Premier Markus Söder of the Christian Social Union (CSU) dismissed the calls for change. "We have our holiday rhythm — it's part of Bavaria's DNA," he said. Baden-Württemberg also shows no sign of budging, despite occasional grumbling that its late break sometimes brings chilly, autumn-like weather by early September. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Welcome to our coverage from DW's newsroom in a cloudy but warm Bonn in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. You join us as a row brews over Germany's rotating summer holiday timetable. North Rhine-Westphalia and other states in Germany complain of unfair treatment when it comes to the way that holiday dates are staggered. They want a change to a rota aimed at easing travel chaos, saying the southern states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg have been keeping an unfair late-slot perk. Other states say this is a headache for families elsewhere who have to juggle peak prices and childcare. However, the Catholic south is sticking firmly to a tradition rooted in the religious holiday of Pentecost. Stay tuned here for this and other news from Germany.
DW
3 hours ago
- Politics
- DW
US, EU express concern following Israeli strikes on Damascus – DW – 07/16/2025
Israel struck sites in Syria amid fighting between the Druze minority and the Syrian government. Meanwhile, an ultra-Orthodox party withdrew from Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's cabinet. DW has the Syrian government and key Druze religious leader Sheikh Yousef Jarbou announced a ceasefire in the southern Syrian province of Sweida after clashes earlier reportedly left hundreds dead. "An agreement was reached for a ceasefire in Sweida and for the establishment of security checkpoints across the city," the Syrian-state run SANA news agency reported. The Druze-majority city of Sweida is the capital of Sweida province. It's unclear if the ceasefire deal will last, however, as a previous truce collapsed a day earlier. Another influential Druze religious leader, Hikmat al-Hijri, has rebuked the idea of a new ceasefire deal. He urged Syrian government forces to leave Sweida. Al-Hijri earlier called for foreign powers to protect the Druze community in Syria, prompting Israel's military intervention. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told journalists he had phoned "relevant parties" amid the violence in Syria. Rubio said he was "very concerned" by the fighting. Rubio also said he expected imminent "deescalation" after Israel attacked the Syrian army headquarters in Damascus. "We think we're on our way towards a real deescalation," Rubio told journalists, saying there was a "misunderstanding" between Israel and Syria. "In the next few hours, we hope to see some real progress," Rubio said. The EU said it was "concerned" by Israeli attacks on the Syrian capital. "Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity need to be respected," European Council President Antonio Costa posted on X. The Turkish Foreign Ministry labeled Israel's strikes in Damascus an "act of sabotage." "Israel's attacks on Damascus, following its military interventions in the south of Syria, constitute an act of sabotage against Syria's efforts to secure peace, stability and security," Turkey said. The Israeli army struck targets in the Syrian capital of Damascus on Wednesday, as Israel claims its military intervention aims to protect the Syrian Druze minority. "The IDF struck the entrance of the Syrian regime's military headquarters in the area of Damascus in Syria," the Israel Defense Forces said. Two Israeli attacks were reported in the area. It's the third day in a row that Israel launched airstrikes on Syria. "The warnings to Damascus have ended — now painful blows will come," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on social media platform X. Clashes between Bedouin Sunni tribes and the Druze community broke out in the southern Syrian province of Suweida on Sunday. On Monday, the Syrian government deployed troops to Suweida, with Syria's military then being drawn into fighting with the Druze militias. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights organization said at least 300 people have been killed in southern Syria since the clashes broke out on Sunday. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The Druze are a small ethno-religious group in the Middle East who primarily live in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. Amid the clashes, Druze in Israel have been attempting to enter Syria to help Druze militia groups, with members of the Syrian Druze community then attempting to go into Israel. The Israeli military strikes on Syria come as Israel expresses distrust towards the Islamist-influenced Syrian government of Ahmad al-Sharaa. Al-Sharaa's government came into power after Syrian rebels ousted Bashar Assad, whose family had maintained an iron-grip on Syria for decades. Demonstrations against the Assad regime in 2011 sparked the Syrian civil war. Israel's military has launched strikes in Syria amid clashes between Syrian government forces and the Druze minority. In addition to Syria, this blog will also cover developments in other parts of the Middle East, such as Gaza and Yemen. Stay with us for the latest news, analysis, multimedia content and DW on-the-ground reporting in the region. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
DW
6 hours ago
- Politics
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Pakistan: Will Imran Khan's sons join nationwide protests? – DW – 07/16/2025
Ex-PM Imran Khan's party is set to launch protests demanding Khan's release from jail amid rumors of his UK-based sons preparing to visit Pakistan. Meanwhile, a US panel voiced concern over human rights in the country. Jemima Goldsmith, the former wife of Pakistan's ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan, has accused the Pakistani government of obstructing her children from communicating with their father. The 72-year-old cricketer-turned-politician has been behind bars since August 2023. He was previously ousted as prime minister in a parliamentary vote of confidence in April 2022. Khan faces multiple charges, including corruption and terrorism, but his supporters believe the cases are politically motivated and aimed at thwarting his return to power. In a post on X, Goldsmith said the government threatened to arrest Khan's sons if they attempt to visit him. She described it as "a personal vendetta." Her comments came after Rana Sanaullah, an adviser to Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, warned Khan's sons against participating in nationwide protests to demand Khan's release. Khan's children — Suleman Khan, 28, and 26-year-old Qasim Khan — live in the UK. They made a rare public appearance in May to advocate for their father's release from prison. The rallies are set to start on August 5. The protest movement is being organized by Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudry dismissed the political significance of Imran Khan's sons, saying that "they are not the focus for the government." The minister told DW that the former prime minister's children were "welcome to visit Pakistan as lawful visitors, but if they break the law, they will be dealt with accordingly." The PTI party says Khan's children just want to see their father freed from jail and have no intention to participate in Pakistani politics. "Their arrival in the country to join a peaceful movement for the release of their father has triggered panic in the concerned quarters, therefore rumors of their possible arrests are being floated to test the waters," Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, adviser to Imran Khan on international affairs and media, told DW. PTI welcomes their decision to join the protest movement, he stated. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Asma Shirazi, a political analyst, said Khan's sons are unlikely to come to Pakistan to participate in the protests, especially given the current challenges facing the PTI party, which is riven by internal disputes and conflicting agendas. "If they come to rally for their father in the coming months, I don't believe they will succeed in securing Khan's release from jail. They are only portrayed as showpieces to galvanize public participation." Shirazi told DW. Osama Malik, a legal expert, said the government should not hinder Khan's sons from meeting him. At the same time, he advised them against engaging in political activity. "It should be clear that every country places certain restrictions on foreigners who enter a country on a visit or family visa. Khan's sons should refrain from any political activity in Pakistan as it would be against their visa conditions," he underlined. "Khan's sons, who have very little understanding of Pakistan or connection with ordinary Pakistanis, may find it extremely difficult to catalyze the movement. Instead, they may end up dividing the party further,' Malik added. Despite being locked up, Khan still has millions of supporters across Pakistan and can still rely on his personal charisma to incite them to action. The former athlete still hopes to leave jail and eventually return to power. Khan's PTI is currently gearing up to launch a massive campaign on August 5, setting up marches across Pakistan to press the government and the military — the country's most powerful institution — to release Khan from prison. During a press conference on Sunday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister and a prominent PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur announced a new 90-day timeline for what he referred to as "a final push" to free Khan. Several such protests over the past couple of years have escalated into violence, at times paralyzing the capital, Islamabad, for extended periods. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video With the protests drawing near, the government is creating a new national paramilitary force. The official initiative will transform an existing paramilitary unit stationed along Pakistan's northwestern border with Afghanistan into a security force known as the Federal Constabulary. Its responsibilities will encompass internal security, riot control, and counterterrorism efforts. "This will be a new and stronger force. We require this force to ensure internal security,' said Interior Minister Chaudhry. In turn, opposition parties and human rights organizations have already warned that the force could be used for curtailing political and civil liberties. The human rights situation in Pakistan also became a subject of discussion in the US Congress this week, with a senior US lawmaker expressing concern over the state of affairs in the South Asian nation. Chris Smith, a Republican congressman and co-chairman of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, said even basic freedoms were being compromised under the current government in Islamabad. He also criticized the continued imprisonment of ex-PM Khan. "Life in Pakistan today is marked by rampant government violations of basic freedoms, particularly freedom of speech and media freedom, and the denial of free and fair elections,' Smith said. The government's human rights record had "taken a sharp turn for the worse" in recent years, he added, urging Washington to "redouble its commitment to democracy and human rights."
DW
8 hours ago
- Politics
- DW
A look at Eritrea's role as new Tigray war looms in Ethiopia – DW – 07/16/2025
Northern Ethiopia is growing increasingly tense two and a half years after the Tigray peace deal. Eritrea appears intent on sowing instability in the region. A new report traces how separatists have quietly rearmed. Reports of troop movements and sporadic clashes in northern Ethiopia have emerged in recent months, feeding concern that a fragile calm could soon collapse. The region is still reeling from the brutal two-year civil war between the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and federal government forces — a conflict that claimed an estimated 600,000 lives before it ended with the Pretoria peace agreement in November 2022. "We can't plan anything at the moment," a woman in Mekele, the capital of Ethiopia's Tigray region, told DW. "We're just trying to survive. A new war could break out tomorrow." She described a climate of fear that has gripped many residents. "Life has become incredibly expensive. We need a peaceful solution so we can return to work and rebuild our lives." During that war, Eritrean troops supported Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's campaign against the TPLF. But critics warned at the time that peace would remain fragile without Eritrea at the negotiating table. President Isaias Afwerki, who has ruled Eritrea for decades, was notably absent from the talks in the South African's administrative capital, Pretoria. Now, growing fears of renewed violence point towards Eritrea's involvement. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Another destabilizing factor is the political turmoil within Tigray itself. The once-dominant TPLF has fractured after internal power struggles — a vulnerability Eritrea could potentially exploit. Following the split, General Tadesse Werede, former commander of the defeated Tigray Defense Forces (TDF), was appointed head of the Tigray interim government in Mekelle. He has urged caution against misinformation and vowed, "There will be no war and no provocation from Tigray's side." On the other side of the divide is TPLF chairman Debretsion Gebremichael. His faction has been accused of cooperating with Eritrea — a claim it strongly denies. Debretsion has called for a political resolution grounded in the Pretoria agreement: "We urge the international community to pressure the Ethiopian government, its agents, and allies to refrain from preparing for war." Despite these reassurances, fear is spreading among civilians. "People are withdrawing their money from banks and stockpiling essentials like oil and teff [an Ethiopian cereal]," a resident of Mekele told DW. He called on both TPLF factions "to step aside — or to use their influence to work with the central government to resolve the crisis and prevent war." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A full-scale inter-state war may be unlikely, but proxy conflicts are a real possibility, said Gerrit Kurtz, Horn of Africa expert at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), a Berlin-based think tank. "Eritrea benefits when Ethiopia is weakened — when it's internally fragmented and beset by local conflicts," Kurtz told DW. "That's why the internal crises we've seen over the past few years — many of which are supported, or at least exploited, by Eritrea — serve its strategic interests." Observers say Eritrea has trained armed groups inside Ethiopia — including, reportedly, the Fano militia in Amhara region. In March, Fano fighters clashed with Ethiopian federal troops in a two-day battle that, according to Addis Ababa, left more than 300 militia members dead. Eritrea has a long and contentious history with Ethiopia. After colonial rule ended, the country was absorbed into a federation with Ethiopia in 1952, and later forcibly annexed — a move that sparked a decades-long independence struggle. Eritrea finally broke away in 1993, costing Ethiopia its only direct access to the sea. Since then, Eritrea has become one of the world's most repressive and isolated regimes under Isaias Afwerki. In 2010, the United Nations imposed an arms embargo on the country. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video According to a new report by the US-based watchdog group The Sentry, Eritrea has used its involvement in the Tigray conflict to strengthen its position significantly. "We identified two clear patterns," said Charles Cater, lead investigator for The Sentry, in an interview with DW. "First, the systematic looting of Tigray during the war — factories were dismantled and moved across the border. Everything of value was taken to Eritrea." The second pattern, he said, was illicit trade: Eritrea profited from smuggling gold, sesame, cultural artifacts, and even people from Tigray. The resulting foreign currency is believed to have helped fund Eritrea's ongoing operations in Ethiopia. Another pivotal moment came in 2018, when Ethiopia and Eritrea signed a peace agreement, ending years of open hostility. Prime Minister Abiy was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for the breakthrough — but Afwerki was left out, despite the deal helping to lift the UN arms embargo against Eritrea. The Sentry also documented how Eritrea subsequently bought weapons, including from Russia. In response, Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Ghebremeskel dismissed the report as a "fabricated narrative" meant to scapegoat Eritrea. The Eritrean military is reportedly strengthening its positions near the Tigray border and may have advanced up to 10 kilometers (6 miles) into Ethiopian territory, according to The Sentry. Both sides had previously agreed to a new border alignment during the 2018 thaw in relations. The Pretoria Agreement stipulated the withdrawal of all non-federal forces from Tigray — including Eritrean troops. It is now up to the Ethiopian government to find a political solution, both with Eritrea and with the divided TPLF, noted SWP's Gerrit Kurtz. "Abiy's strategy is to keep all domestic rivals weak enough that they can't unite against him. That means sometimes aligning with certain factions, while repressing others. But it's a high-stakes game," Kurtz said. Ethiopia is scheduled to hold national elections next year, and analysts warn that Abiy could use the Tigray crisis as political leverage. Since 2023, he has also revived calls for Ethiopia to secure its own access to the sea — a move that has already fueled diplomatic tensions with Somalia and led some to fear a potential military incursion into Eritrea. For now, Abiy has publicly reiterated his commitment to peace. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
DW
8 hours ago
- Politics
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Fears of war in Tigray: What role does Eritrea play? – DW – 07/16/2025
For months, tensions have been mounting in northern Ethiopia: Two and a half years after a peace deal, Eritrea appears intent on sowing instability. A new report traces how Asmara has quietly rearmed. "We can't plan anything at the moment — we're just trying to survive. A new war could break out tomorrow," said a woman in Mekele, the capital of Ethiopia's Tigray region. Speaking to DW, she describes a climate of fear that's gripped many residents. "Life has become incredibly expensive. We need a peaceful solution so we can return to work and rebuild our lives." Reports of troop movements and sporadic clashes have emerged in recent months, feeding concern that the fragile calm could soon collapse. The region is still reeling from the brutal two-year civil war between the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and federal government forces — a conflict that claimed an estimated 600,000 lives before it ended with the Pretoria peace agreement in November 2022. During that war, Eritrean troops supported Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's campaign against the TPLF. But critics warned at the time that peace would remain fragile without Eritrea at the negotiating table. President Isaias Afwerki, who has ruled Eritrea for decades, was notably absent from the talks in the South African's administrative capital, Pretoria. Now, growing fears of renewed violence point towards Eritrea's involvement. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Another destabilizing factor is the political turmoil within Tigray itself. The once-dominant TPLF has fractured after internal power struggles — a vulnerability Eritrea could potentially exploit. Following the split, General Tadesse Werede, former commander of the defeated Tigray Defense Forces (TDF), was appointed head of the Tigray interim government in Mekelle. He has urged caution against misinformation and vowed, "There will be no war and no provocation from Tigray's side." On the other side of the divide is TPLF chairman Debretsion Gebremichael. His faction has been accused of cooperating with Eritrea — a claim it strongly denies. Debretsion has called for a political resolution grounded in the Pretoria agreement: "We urge the international community to pressure the Ethiopian government, its agents, and allies to refrain from preparing for war." Despite these reassurances, fear is spreading among civilians. "People are withdrawing their money from banks and stockpiling essentials like oil and teff [an Ethiopian cereal]," a resident of Mekele told DW. He called on both TPLF factions "to step aside — or to use their influence to work with the central government to resolve the crisis and prevent war." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A full-scale inter-state war may be unlikely, but proxy conflicts are a real possibility, said Gerrit Kurtz, Horn of Africa expert at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), a Berlin-based think tank. "Eritrea benefits when Ethiopia is weakened — when it's internally fragmented and beset by local conflicts," Kurtz told DW. "That's why the internal crises we've seen over the past few years — many of which are supported, or at least exploited, by Eritrea — serve its strategic interests." Observers say Eritrea has trained armed groups inside Ethiopia — including, reportedly, the Fano militia in Amhara region. In March, Fano fighters clashed with Ethiopian federal troops in a two-day battle that, according to Addis Ababa, left more than 300 militia members dead. Eritrea has a long and contentious history with Ethiopia. After colonial rule ended, the country was absorbed into a federation with Ethiopia in 1952, and later forcibly annexed — a move that sparked a decades-long independence struggle. Eritrea finally broke away in 1993, costing Ethiopia its only direct access to the sea. Since then, Eritrea has become one of the world's most repressive and isolated regimes under Isaias Afwerki. In 2010, the United Nations imposed an arms embargo on the country. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video According to a new report by the US-based watchdog group The Sentry, Eritrea has used its involvement in the Tigray conflict to strengthen its position significantly. "We identified two clear patterns," said Charles Cater, lead investigator for The Sentry, in an interview with DW. "First, the systematic looting of Tigray during the war — factories were dismantled and moved across the border. Everything of value was taken to Eritrea." The second pattern, he said, was illicit trade: Eritrea profited from smuggling gold, sesame, cultural artifacts, and even people from Tigray. The resulting foreign currency is believed to have helped fund Eritrea's ongoing operations in Ethiopia. Another pivotal moment came in 2018, when Ethiopia and Eritrea signed a peace agreement, ending years of open hostility. Prime Minister Abiy was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for the breakthrough — but Afwerki was left out, despite the deal helping to lift the UN arms embargo against Eritrea. The Sentry also documented how Eritrea subsequently bought weapons, including from Russia. In response, Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Ghebremeskel dismissed the report as a "fabricated narrative" meant to scapegoat Eritrea. The Eritrean military is reportedly strengthening its positions near the Tigray border and may have advanced up to 10 kilometers (6 miles) into Ethiopian territory, according to The Sentry. Both sides had previously agreed to a new border alignment during the 2018 thaw in relations. The Pretoria Agreement stipulated the withdrawal of all non-federal forces from Tigray — including Eritrean troops. It is now up to the Ethiopian government to find a political solution, both with Eritrea and with the divided TPLF, noted SWP's Gerrit Kurtz. "Abiy's strategy is to keep all domestic rivals weak enough that they can't unite against him. That means sometimes aligning with certain factions, while repressing others. But it's a high-stakes game," Kurtz said. Ethiopia is scheduled to hold national elections next year, and analysts warn that Abiy could use the Tigray crisis as political leverage. Since 2023, he has also revived calls for Ethiopia to secure its own access to the sea — a move that has already fueled diplomatic tensions with Somalia and led some to fear a potential military incursion into Eritrea. For now, Abiy has publicly reiterated his commitment to peace. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
