# An Imminent, Underreported War

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-jacob-shapiro-podcast-5326035/an-imminent-underreported-war
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-jacob-shapiro-podcast-5326035/an-imminent-underreported-war.md
Podcast: [The Jacob Shapiro Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-jacob-shapiro-podcast-5326035)
Published: 2026-03-13T12:30:00+00:00
Episode link: https://jacobshapiro.com/podcasts/ethiopia-war
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/37fa7c8d-fab7-4d55-bfae-2cff60715c67.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-jacob-shapiro-podcast-5326035/episodes/an-imminent-underreported-war
Duration seconds: 3267

## Resource

Jacob Shapiro sits down with journalist Jody Ray, who just returned from on-the-ground reporting in Ethiopia and Eritrea. This convo is a gateway into one of the most underreported conflicts brewing today - a potential war over Red Sea access with echoes of Cold War rivalries, ethnic fracture lines, and a region that's been through hell once already. If you enjoyed the conversation, check out more of Jody's work below! -- Timestamps: (01:22) - Meet Jodi in Nairobi (01:38) - Why Ethiopia Matters (03:20) - Ethiopia Basics (05:44) - Cold War Backstory (07:13) - From Empire to Derg (10:28) - TPLF Rule and Abiy Rise (12:37) - How Tigray War Started (14:55) - War Aftermath and Red Sea (16:46) - Why Tigray Didn't Take Addis (18:48) - Eritrea Explained (23:17) - Regional Powers and the Dam (25:38) - Little Dubai in Addis (27:24) - Addis Boom And Displacement (28:47) - Capital City Versus Hinterlands (30:32) - Nightlife And Image Management (31:21) - Tigray Trip And War Signs (32:28) - Life In Mekelle After War (35:12) - Drone Strikes And Media Crackdown (37:30) - Fighters And Civilian Resolve (40:38) - Plea To The International Community (42:26) - Ethiopia Fragmentation And Armed Regions (45:22) - Horn Powder Keg And Twitter Diplomacy (48:15) - Why Ethiopia Matters To Him (51:58) - Travel Origins And Chinese Factory Clue (53:59) - Closing Thoughts And Thanks -- Referenced in the Show: Jody's Work - https://jodyray.journoportfolio.com/ -- Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.com Jacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416 Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShap Jacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe -- The Jacob Shapiro Show is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com -- Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and…

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## Transcript

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