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Ethiopia cuts ties with Eritrea as drought deepens hunger across the Horn of Africa
Ethiopia and Eritrea have cut diplomatic relations as fighting spreads in Ethiopia's north (BBC, 2 Oct 2026). The break follows months of troop buildups and accusations over the Tigray border. At the same time, war between government forces and Amhara and Oromo armed groups is driving 1.55 million people from their homes in Amhara alone. Drought now covers Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, South Sudan and Djibouti (GDACS, as of 3 Oct 2026). In Sudan, 33.7 million people need assistance in 2026 (OCHA) as the army-RSF war and the worst drought combine.
The Horn of Africa's wars and its drought now hit the same families twice: crops fail, and fighting blocks the roads that would carry food. A new war between Ethiopia and Eritrea would close that corridor and push more people toward famine. In Haiti, gangs have killed or injured more than 5,000 people this year (UN, BBC, 2 Oct 2026), while the UN force in Port-au-Prince has deployed only about 1,000 of 5,550 authorized troops. Aid agencies with stocks in the region should pre-position food in drought zones before roads close, and donors should fund the Haiti force fully.
Watch items
- Ethiopia — Border war with Eritrea could cut food routes to Tigray
- Sudan — RSF advance on El Obeid could strand 250,000 displaced people
- Yemen — Renewed Hodeidah fighting threatens the port feeding 18 million