Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has announced that his government will not pursue military conflict with Eritrea over Red Sea access, affirming a preference for dialogue instead. This comes amid rising tensions after military mobilizations by Eritrea and troop deployments from Ethiopia. Renewed hostilities could reverse recent peace advancements and worsen humanitarian conditions in the region.
Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced on Thursday that his administration will not engage in military conflict with Eritrea regarding access to the Red Sea. This statement comes amid recent concerns from regional officials and analysts about a potential outbreak of war between the two countries, historically at odds with one another. According to Abiy, “Ethiopia does not have any intention of engaging in conflict with Eritrea for the purpose of gaining access to the sea.”
Abiy emphasized the importance of addressing Ethiopia’s need for Red Sea access through peaceful dialogue rather than military action. Alarm bells have sounded in recent weeks as Eritrea initiated a nationwide military mobilization and Ethiopia reportedly moved troops toward its border, prompting expressions of concern from diplomatic sources.
A resurgence of hostilities between these two significant African nations could undermine a previous peace accord, for which Abiy was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019, and could precipitate a humanitarian crisis in a region already facing challenges due to the conflict in Sudan. Initially, Eritrea supported Ethiopia’s federal forces during the Tigray war from 2020 to 2022, a conflict that resulted in a staggering loss of life.
However, relations deteriorated following Eritrea’s exclusion from peace talks after the cessation of the Tigray conflict in November 2022, leading to heightened tensions between the nations.
In summary, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia has decisively ruled out the possibility of military conflict with Eritrea over access to the Red Sea. He advocates for peaceful resolution through dialogue, aiming to avoid a situation that could trigger a humanitarian disaster. The historical context of Ethiopian-Eritrean relations underscores the importance of maintaining peace, particularly after the recent peace effort became jeopardized following Eritrea’s exclusion from negotiations.
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