Conflict Trends in Africa, 1989–2022

The sharp increase in battle-related deaths globally in 2022 was driven primarily by the conflict between the Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). In 2022, 58% of all state-based conflicts occurred in Africa. The extreme number of battle-related deaths made it the deadliest year for state-based conflicts in the region in the post-1989 period. That said, more non-state conflicts occurred in 2022 compared to state-based conflicts; however, these were less severe when measured by battle-related deaths. This policy brief summarizes conflict trends in Africa between 1989 and 2022, including sub-regional differences in 2022 specifically.