Ethiopia Appeals for Mediation to Defuse Tensions with Eritrea
(MENAFN) Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has formally requested international mediation to ease rising tensions with Eritrea over access to the Red Sea.
Speaking to parliament on Tuesday, Abiy said he had already engaged with China, Russia, the US, the African Union, and the European Union, urging them to facilitate a “lasting solution” between Addis Ababa and Asmara.
“Ethiopia’s request for access to the sea is irreversible…We believe that the Red Sea issue is a legal, historical, geographical, and economic matter that must be approached calmly and thoughtfully,” he stated.
Ethiopia lost its direct sea access after Eritrea gained independence in 1993 following a long war. A new border conflict erupted in 1998 over the Badme region, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. A peace agreement in 2000 ended active fighting and established a boundary commission. Relations thawed after Abiy assumed office in 2018, with Eritrean forces later supporting Ethiopia’s federal troops during the Tigray War from 2020 to 2022.
In recent months, however, ties have soured amid Ethiopian claims that Eritrea is preparing for conflict and collaborating with rebel groups in the northern Amhara region.
These allegations coincide with mounting regional concern over Ethiopia’s push to regain Red Sea access, a move that Eritrea warns could destabilize the Horn of Africa, deepen mistrust, and undermine prospects for cooperation.
On Tuesday, Abiy emphasized that his government has “no intention of going to war with Eritrea” and is “convinced this issue can be resolved peacefully.”
“Ethiopia cannot exist in isolation. Our message to our neighbors is that as Ethiopia grows, it will serve as a source of development and prosperity for the entire region,” he told parliament.
Last year, Ethiopia drew regional criticism after signing a deal with Somaliland to lease access to its coastline for commercial purposes and build a naval base. Somalia, which considers Somaliland part of its territory, denounced the pact as illegal and a land grab. Turkish mediation later helped the East African neighbors restore relations earlier this year.
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