Global Tensions Flare: Ethiopia Dam Opens, DRC Conflict Persists, Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Unratified

Recent weeks have seen significant developments across several global hotspots, highlighting persistent challenges to international peace and stability. Despite past claims of resolutions, conflicts in Africa and the Caucasus continue to evolve with new events and unresolved issues.

In a major regional development, Ethiopia officially inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on September 9, 2025. This monumental hydroelectric project, built on a tributary of the Nile, is seen by Ethiopia as vital for its economic future. However, the inauguration intensifies a long-standing and bitter dispute with downstream nations Egypt and Sudan, who fear negative impacts on their water supply. The rift over the dam’s operation and water sharing remains a critical point of contention, with worries that tensions could escalate.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to grapple with protracted conflict. Despite a US-brokered peace agreement signed with Rwanda in June, hostilities persist. A CNN report from earlier this month, detailing a visit to the rebel-held city of Goma, underscored the ongoing fighting and humanitarian crisis. The United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) also released a fact-finding report this same week, covering escalating hostilities between January and July 2025 in the North and South Kivu provinces, confirming the continuous nature of the violence.

In the Caucasus, a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, signed at the White House on August 8, 2025, has yet to bring full resolution. While hailed as a diplomatic step forward, the agreement remains unratified by both countries. Significant hurdles persist, most notably Azerbaijan’s demand for Armenia to change its constitution, a move likely to face rejection by Armenian voters. The long-standing conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, which saw Azerbaijan regain full control in 2023, continues to cast a shadow over regional stability.

Other regions also report recent, albeit unresolved, developments. Israel and Iran endorsed a ceasefire in June after 12 days of direct confrontation, yet no comprehensive peace agreement or nuclear deal has been reached, with both nations continuing to issue threats. Similarly, a July ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand followed a deadly round of border violence, but the underlying territorial disputes remain unsettled. These events underscore the complex and enduring nature of global conflicts, where diplomatic breakthroughs often precede further challenges.

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