The 11th Tana High-Level Security Forum, originally scheduled to be held in Bahir Dar city, has been postponed for the third time.
This annual forum, which plays a critical role in advising on African peace and security issues, was set to take place in Bahir Dar, the capital of the Amhara region.
The conference was initially slated for October 12-14, 2023. However, the Institute for Peace and Security Studies at Addis Ababa University announced that the forum was delayed “due to unforeseen circumstances.”
This marked the second postponement, as the event, originally planned for April 2023, had already been rescheduled once before.
The 11th Tana Forum, under the theme “Africa in the Evolving World Order,” was later rescheduled to occur from October 25-27, 2024.
Yet, once again, the forum has been delayed. In a statement on its official Facebook page, the forum announced: “The TANA Forum Secretariat wishes to inform that the 11th TANA Senior Security Forum has been postponed to 2025.”
The forum also added that the Secretariat, in collaboration with the Tana Forum Board, will announce the new dates in due course.
One of the major factors contributing to the repeated postponements is the ongoing conflict in the Amhara region, where the forum is traditionally held.
For over a year, intense fighting has taken place between federal government forces and the Fano militia, an armed group operating in the region.
The conflict began after the federal government declared its intention to reorganize the regional special forces, triggering resistance from Fano fighters.
In response to the escalating violence, the Ethiopian government imposed a state of emergency in the Amhara region for 10 months, a measure that has significantly disrupted daily life.
The conflict has severely affected various sectors, including education. According to the Amhara Regional Education Bureau, more than five million students have been unable to return to school due to the ongoing war.
The humanitarian toll has also been devastating. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) reported that more than 160 civilians have been killed in clashes between government forces and Fano militants between June and September of this year alone.
Among the victims were vulnerable groups, including the elderly, women, children, and individuals with mental health conditions.
As the conflict rages on, the delay of the Tana Forum reflects the broader instability gripping the region, raising concerns about the future of peacebuilding efforts in Ethiopia and the broader Horn of Africa.
