Amid rising anxiety across the Horn of Africa, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has sought to calm nerves, firmly stating that Ethiopia has no intention of entering into conflict with its northern neighbor Eritrea over access to the Red Sea.
In a message shared by his office on Thursday via the platform X (formerly Twitter), Abiy acknowledged that gaining access to the Red Sea is vital for Ethiopia’s long-term development—but stressed that his government is committed to pursuing peaceful solutions. “Ethiopia does not have any intention of engaging in conflict with Eritrea for the purpose of gaining access to the sea,” he said.
His comments come at a tense moment for the region. Reports of Eritrea calling up reservists for military service and Ethiopia deploying forces closer to the border have raised fears of a potential military standoff between two of Africa’s most powerful armies. These fears were further fueled by speculation that Ethiopia might have its eyes on Eritrea’s port city of Assab—a strategic gateway to the Red Sea.
Eritrea has pushed back hard. In a sharply worded statement earlier this week, Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel dismissed Ethiopia’s maritime aspirations as “misguided” and “outdated.” He accused Addis Ababa of pursuing access “through diplomacy or military force,” a claim Abiy’s office has now publicly rejected.
On social media, Yemane also called on the international community to intervene and pressure Ethiopia to respect Eritrean sovereignty. He denied accusations that Eritrea was preparing for war, labeling them “false” and “baseless.”
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The rising tensions come just a few years after Abiy and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki surprised the world with a peace deal in 2018 that ended two decades of hostility and earned Abiy the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. But that diplomatic thaw has grown frosty again in the aftermath of the Tigray conflict.
During the brutal civil war from 2020 to 2022 between Ethiopia’s federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), Eritrean troops fought alongside Ethiopian forces. But when the Pretoria peace agreement was signed in 2022 to end the conflict, Eritrea was not at the negotiating table—a move that reportedly strained relations.
Now, as the Horn of Africa grapples with overlapping crises—from civil unrest in Sudan to food insecurity and economic hardship—regional stability hangs in the balance. Analysts warn that a new war between Ethiopia and Eritrea would risk plunging the region into deeper turmoil.
But for now, Abiy appears to be pressing for dialogue over confrontation. “We will continue to pursue discussions to address Ethiopia’s strategic interests,” he said, emphasizing that any resolution must be grounded in peace.
Whether this diplomatic tone holds amid rising distrust remains to be seen—but for the people living along the tense border, it offers at least a glimmer of hope in uncertain times.
