Ethiopia has accused neighbouring Eritrea of preparing to wage war, marking a dangerous escalation in their increasingly strained relationship over access to the Red Sea.
In a letter dated 2 October to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister, Gedion Timothewos, alleged that Eritrea was colluding with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), an opposition group based in northern Ethiopia. He claimed both parties were “funding, mobilising, and directing armed groups” in the Amhara region, where government forces have been battling insurgents.
Eritrea has yet to issue an official response to the allegations.
The renewed hostilities come against the backdrop of historical animosity between the two Horn of Africa nations. Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993, taking control of the Red Sea coastline, a strategic access point Ethiopia has long sought to regain. A brutal border war between 1998 and 2000 left tens of thousands dead and relations severed for nearly two decades.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s 2018 peace deal with Eritrea earned him international praise and temporarily thawed relations. However, tensions have resurfaced in recent years as Ethiopia’s leadership has renewed calls for sea access, which Asmara views as a potential threat to its sovereignty.
In his letter to the UN, Timothewos said Addis Ababa still hoped to address the issue through negotiation, but warned that Eritrea’s actions risk destabilising an already volatile region.
Melissa Enoch
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