East and Central Africa Face Multiple Armed Conflicts as Peace Deals Falter
From Ethiopia's fragile Tigray truce to M23's control of eastern DRC and South Sudan's collapsing peace deal, multiple conflicts across East and Central Africa are creating humanitarian crises and testing regional institutions.
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Armed conflicts continue to destabilize East and Central Africa despite peace agreements and international intervention, with fighting persisting in Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Sudan, according to regional reports and international observers.
The humanitarian toll is mounting across multiple fronts. International organizations warn that without immediate ceasefires, the region faces escalating famine, deadly drone strikes, and growing displacement, according to The East African.
Ethiopia's Tigray Truce Shows Cracks
Ethiopia's Pretoria Agreement, brokered in November 2022, has halted large-scale fighting in Tigray but failed to deliver lasting peace four years later. The East African describes the current situation as a "negative peace," where the absence of active combat masks unresolved political tensions and humanitarian needs.
The truce ended immediate warfare between Ethiopian federal forces and Tigray People's Liberation Front fighters. However, underlying grievances remain unaddressed, creating conditions for potential renewed violence.
Humanitarian access and reconstruction efforts in Tigray continue to face obstacles, limiting recovery in a region devastated by two years of conflict that killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions.
M23 Consolidates Control in Eastern DRC
One year after M23 rebels seized Goma, the strategic city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the armed group has established administrative control while defending its cooperation with Rwanda. Markets operate and border traffic has resumed, but a closed airport symbolizes the city's isolation from central government authority, The East African reported.
M23 leadership told The East African the group advocates federalism rather than secession in the "vast, diverse DRC," urging international partners to invest in eastern Congo despite the ongoing conflict. The statement represents an attempt to legitimize the group's territorial control and attract economic engagement.
The M23 takeover of Goma in February 2025 marked the most significant territorial gain by the Rwandan-backed group since its resurgence in 2021. The DRC government has rejected negotiations with M23, calling it a proxy force for Rwandan expansion.
Rwanda denies direct military involvement but acknowledges security interests in eastern DRC, where Hutu militias linked to the 1994 genocide operate. The conflict has displaced over 1.7 million people in North Kivu province.
South Sudan Peace Deal Collapses
South Sudan's peace agreement faces collapse as arms embargo violations fuel renewed fighting, according to a United Nations assessment reported by The East African. The 2018 peace deal that ended five years of civil war has failed to prevent weapons flows into the country.
The UN arms embargo, intended to prevent military buildup by competing factions, has proven ineffective as regional arms networks continue supplying South Sudanese armed groups. Fighting has resumed in several states, threatening to return the world's youngest nation to full-scale civil war.
South Sudan's conflict, which began in 2013, has killed an estimated 400,000 people and displaced four million. The peace deal created a unity government but failed to integrate rival armed forces or establish functional governance.
Sudan Conflict Intensifies
The African Union and international partners are pressuring Sudan's warring sides to accept a ceasefire as the country faces famine and escalating violence. The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces paramilitary has entered its second year with no resolution in sight.
International observers warn that without immediate cessation of hostilities, Sudan faces catastrophic humanitarian consequences including widespread famine and continued drone strikes on civilian areas, according to statements reported by The East African.
Regional Institutions Under Scrutiny
The proliferation of conflicts has raised questions about the African Union's capacity to address contemporary security challenges. As wars and displacement surge across the continent, analysts question whether the AU remains fit for purpose in managing African crises, The East African reported.
The AU's peace and security mechanisms have struggled to prevent or resolve armed conflicts in member states. The organization faces funding constraints, limited enforcement powers, and competing national interests that complicate collective action.
Tanzania's disputed October 29 elections have added to regional instability, with diplomatic backlash following contested results. The electoral controversy has strained Tanzania's relationships with Western partners and raised concerns about democratic backsliding in East Africa.
The convergence of multiple active conflicts creates spillover risks, as arms, fighters, and refugees move across porous borders. Regional economic integration efforts face setbacks as security concerns dominate national priorities and defense spending increases at the expense of development budgets.