Donald Trump is fond of saying wars don’t start on his watch and that he’s ended some we never knew possible. That’s at least up for debate, as the US president lays his finger on the trigger of another possible attack on Iran. Even so, there is one high-stakes conflict in the already troubled Horn of Africa that’s ripe for pre-emptive diplomacy — and where he would be uniquely placed to lead.

Ethiopia’s federal government has sent forces toward its northern province of Tigray, where a brutal 2020-2022 civil war that drew in neighboring Eritrea claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. There have already been skirmishes and drone strikes; on Feb. 19 , the International Crisis Group issued a report warning that the risk of conflict is high.

© Bloomberg