Impact and Cost of Ethiopia-Eritrea Conflicts

The 1998-2000 war between Ethiopia and Eritrea caused the displacement of 364,000 individuals and the deportation of over 75,000 Eritreans. During that period, Ethiopia's defense spending rose significantly from 2.5% of GDP to 13.3%, while Eritrea suffered war damages nearing 90% of its 1999 output. The subsequent 2020-2022 conflict resulted in even greater devastation, with the US Congressional Research Service estimating civilian deaths could be as high as 600,000. Additionally, a World Bank assessment indicated that physical infrastructure destruction reached 20.4% of the country's 2020-2021 GDP.