The Dynamics of Humanitarian Diplomacy During Wartime: Insights from Tigray Crisis in Ethiopia

Mulubrhan Atsbaha Geremedhn and Hafte Gebreselassie Gebrihet ()
Additional contact information
Mulubrhan Atsbaha Geremedhn: Department of Civics and Ethical Studies, College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Adigrat University, Adigrat 50, Tigray, Ethiopia
Hafte Gebreselassie Gebrihet: Department of Civics and Ethical Studies, College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Adigrat University, Adigrat 50, Tigray, Ethiopia

Social Sciences, 2024, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-22

Abstract: This study examines the role of humanitarian diplomacy during the Tigray humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia, a humanitarian disaster marked by severe shortages in food, healthcare, and essential services that deeply affect civilians. A qualitative approach using both primary and secondary data grounds the study by exploring key actors in humanitarian diplomacy, their successes, and barriers to aid delivery. Humanitarian actors, such as UN agencies, international NGOs, donor countries, the EU, the US, and the African Union, have engaged with the Ethiopian government, the TPLF, and the Tigray Transitional Government to alleviate the crisis. Notable achievements in humanitarian diplomacy include negotiations, information gathering, communication, civilian needs assessment, resource mobilization, advocacy for international law, and distressed civilians. Humanitarian diplomacy has facilitated international aid operations, saving lives during critical periods, despite practical difficulties. Diplomatic efforts have faced significant interruptions due to access restrictions imposed by the Ethiopian government, security threats from ongoing fighting leading to attacks on aid convoys and casualties among aid workers, and bureaucratic obstacles imposed by the Ethiopian government. This study highlights the necessity for effective humanitarian diplomacy in accounting for complex political landscapes in conflict-affected regions, developing flexible strategies that enhance access to aid, and improving humanitarian interventions.

Keywords: humanitarian diplomacy; Tigray crisis; access restrictions; conflict resolution; international aid (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/13/11/626/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/13/11/626/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:13:y:2024:i:11:p:626-:d:1524954

Access Statistics for this article

Social Sciences is currently edited by Ms. Yvonne Chu

More articles in Social Sciences from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().