CALL FOR TENDER: Assessment – Political and media analysis on Tigray conflict in Ethiopia (service contract)
The European Institute of Peace is looking for exceptional individuals and companies who share our vision for a world where people live in safety and peace because conflicts and grievances are resolved through inclusive dialogue and lasting political agreements.
We provide practical experience, technical expertise, and policy advice on conflict resolution. We use a variety of tools to help us do this, including analysis, mapping and design of peace processes and agreements, facilitating policy discussions, and proposing practical engagement, for example through inclusive dialogue and mediation support.
Based in Brussels and active in over a dozen countries, the European Institute of Peace is an independent organisation working collaboratively with European decision-makers, the parties to the conflict, and those who represent people suffering from insecurity or at risk of violence, as well as the conflict prevention, resolution and mediation community.
Our innovative approach to peace enables us to be agile, creative, and effective in everything we do, and these are key qualities we look for in our team members. See www.eip.org for more information.
We are looking for a consultant/company to develop an assessment – Political and media analysis on Tigray conflict in Ethiopia to support the Peace Process and Innovation unit (PPI). The service provider will produce a policy brief on the Tigray conflict.
Terms of References
1. Background
A conflict between the government of Ethiopia and forces in its northern Tigray region has thrown the country into turmoil. In November 2020, long-rising tensions between the Ethiopian federal government and the north of the Tigray region’s leadership exploded into a military confrontation. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered the Ethiopian National Defence Soldiers to launch an attack on the county’s northernmost Tigray region “law-and-order operation” to remove the governing Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) from power. However, it involved large deployments of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces and aerial bombardments. Armed assaults by the TPLF on the federal military Northern Command base in Mekelle and other military camps, during which military hardware was seized – including heavy weapon stockpiles – and soldiers who refused to defect were detained or killed.
The conflict in Ethiopia’s northern state of Tigray is being fought on two interconnected fronts. The first is physical and on the ground, while the second is a dangerous information campaign projected via social media to influence, draw in, and even direct international reaction. The erosion of media rights has accelerated over the past nine months, with media access often restricted, journalists detained, faced threats and harassment – and even attacks.
From the start of the Tigray conflict, Ethiopia’s government has sought to limit information by imposing a lockdown of the northern region and communications blackout affecting the internet, mobile phones, and landlines, making access and assessment for aid agencies dealing with the unfolding humanitarian crisis extremely difficult. On the other hand, the Ethiopian media landscape is institutionally weak. Some media often abuse freedom of expression to incite tension and partisanship, even ethnic violence causing legitimate concerns from state and non-state actors about misinformation, disinformation, and incitement, particularly during times of political uncertainty.
Meanwhile, the ongoing war between Tigrayan fighters and the Ethiopian army and its allies has forced more than two million people to flee their homes. Five million people need humanitarian assistance, with more than 400,000 living in famine conditions. Critical infrastructure has been destroyed, and credible reports of atrocities and war crimes trickle out of the region. Eritrean troops intervened in Tigray on the side of the federal forces, and it appears that they remain in Ethiopian territory.
2. Relevance to the Institute
The European Institute of Peace is currently implementing an EU-funded program focused on reducing Ethiopia’s internal and external extremism drivers (August 2019 – December 2021). The project intends to strengthen Ethiopia’s approaches and capacity to address internal and external threats of extremism and political violence. One of the outputs is to develop meaningful dialogue initiatives in Ethiopia that have an impact on extremism.
The requested assessment would contribute to a better understanding of the crisis in Tigray, the challenges to report on the crisis accurately, and the battle to control information and provide recommendations and analysis for policymakers.
3. Main objective
The research shall provide a policy brief on the Tigray conflict, including the different phases, major military developments, and the struggle to report the conflict.
The service provider will produce a policy brief on the Tigray conflict, including:
- An overview of the conflict and significant military developments, including a timeline identifying different phases;
- Provide an overview of the most prominent reporting in Ethiopian media in each phase, the role of disinformation and hate speech, barriers to reporting;
- Provide an overview of the most prominent international reporting in each phases role, of disinformation and hate speech, barriers to reporting;
- Conduct fieldwork/interviews with journalists/analysts to explain the discrepancy in reporting/narratives between Ethiopian and international media;
- Analyze the data and the impact this has had on the conflict;
- Identify lessons and recommendations.
5. Qualifications and Requirements
The following expertise is required:
- Excellent understanding of Ethiopia’s national and local politics
- An excellent knowledge (conceptual and practical) of national and international journalism, social media, and conflict dynamics
- Expertise in process design;
- Fluency in English, with any of the languages spoken in Ethiopia a significant benefit; and
- Track record of research publications on Ethiopian politics;
6. The Institute offers
Service contract starting as soon as possible until 23/12/2021.
The total maximum amount for this contract is 15 000 EUR.
7. Recruitment process
Please submit in English:
- Service proposal, with a description of the services, fees, methodology (when relevant), CVs of personnel involved (when relevant)
A weighed decision (80% quality of application – 20% price considerations) will be applied.
Submit to: recruitment@cg9lzbbryk.preview.infomaniak.website
The deadline is 26/09/2021, midnight. The successful candidate will be selected based on the most competitive offer, including technical and financial proposal.
Deadline for application: 26 September 2021