Tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea have been ratcheting up again in recent months, sparking concerns that the Horn of Africa could see a return to conflict. The focal point is Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s fixation on regaining access to the sea for his country, which has been landlocked since Eritrea’s independence in 1993. To do so, Abiy has laid claim to the Eritrean port of Assab, located just 70 kilometers from the Ethiopian border.
Amid the dispute, Ethiopia has appealed to the international community. On Oct. 28, Abiy called for international mediation to find a “peaceful resolution” with Eritrea that would secure Ethiopia’s access to the sea. In an address to Parliament, he specifically mentioned the United States, China, Russia and the European Union as potential mediators, though regional powers like Saudi Arabia and Turkey could also play a role. Abiy further insisted that he had “no intention of going to war with Eritrea.” “On the contrary, we are convinced that this issue can be resolved peacefully,” he added, while stressing that his country’s demand for access to the sea was “irreversible.”
Ethiopia’s pursuit of access to the sea through Eritrea has long been one of the main sources of hostility between the two countries. Though they thawed relations in 2018 and joined forces in 2020 to fight the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, or TPLF, during the war in Tigray, tensions have returned since the fighting in Tigray ended in 2020, and they have reached a new level in recent months. In a letter dated Oct. 2 and addressed to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos accused Eritrea of “actively preparing for war” against Ethiopia.
