Researching political development in Eritrea and Ethiopia inevitably – and regrettably – leads to the study of conflict. After war in the Horn of Africa, it is more likely that new conflicts emerge rather than peace. Apparently, the historical, political, and cultural contexts of the region foster political elites which are more inclined to favour violent strategies rather than peaceful mechanisms to advance their political agendas or to solve disputes. In view of the lack of democratic bodies and procedures, and institutions of checks and balances, the people are inevitably exposed to the whims of unaccountable political leadership.

The two leaders of Eritrea and Ethiopia, Issaias Afwerki and Meles Zenawi, have broken more or less all the promises they gave when assuming power in 1991 after their resistance armies, the EPLF and TPLF/EPRDF respectively, managed jointly to topple Mengistu Hailemariam's Derg regime. Promises of peace, development and democracy were made, and, perhaps naively, believed in by many of their citizens and the international community. Their biggest failure has been the flawed policies of ‘peace-building’, which have led to the continuation of conflicts and wars in the Horn of Africa. In this regard the Eritrean leadership has the dubious record of having been in armed conflict with all its neighbouring countries during the past decade. Furthermore, during this period Eritrea has developed into a one-man dictatorship in which President Issaias Afwerki is holding his people hostage to his own omnipresent ambitions and ego. Concomitantly, in Ethiopia the government has proved that its rhetorical support for democracy and international law is just that – rhetoric and meagre compliance.