Ethiopia Seeks International Mediation with Eritrea Over Sea Access
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed calls for mediation as tensions rise between the two neighbors.
ADDIS ABABA: Ethiopia’s leader has called for international mediation with Eritrea over access to the sea, emphasizing that this demand is ‘irreversible,’ amid escalating tensions between the two Horn of Africa neighbors.
The strained relations date back more than three decades since Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993, leaving Ethiopia landlocked.Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 for his peace deal with Eritrea, stated during a parliamentary session on Tuesday that discussions have been held with various international parties including the United States, Russia, China, the African Union, and the European Union regarding this issue.
He confirmed that these global entities have been requested to mediate in finding a lasting solution.Eritrean authorities, however, remain unresponsive to Ethiopia's demands.
The relationship between the countries deteriorated further after Eritrea accused Ethiopia of coveting its Red Sea port city, Assab, which has significantly escalated tensions.Ethiopia and Eritrea fought a border war from 1998 to 2000 that resulted in tens of thousands of deaths following Eritrean independence in 1993.
Relations improved under Abiy's rule when he signed a peace agreement with President Isaias Afwerki, who has governed Eritrea since its independence.Eritrean troops supported Ethiopian federal forces during the civil war in the Tigray region from 2020 to 2022, which claimed approximately 600,000 lives according to the African Union.
However, after the conflict, relations between the countries have grown more frosty.In October, Ethiopia accused Eritrea of supporting armed groups within its territory, a claim dismissed by Asmara as baseless.
This latest development highlights the ongoing tension and potential for further escalation unless international mediation can be successfully brokered.
The strained relations date back more than three decades since Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993, leaving Ethiopia landlocked.Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 for his peace deal with Eritrea, stated during a parliamentary session on Tuesday that discussions have been held with various international parties including the United States, Russia, China, the African Union, and the European Union regarding this issue.
He confirmed that these global entities have been requested to mediate in finding a lasting solution.Eritrean authorities, however, remain unresponsive to Ethiopia's demands.
The relationship between the countries deteriorated further after Eritrea accused Ethiopia of coveting its Red Sea port city, Assab, which has significantly escalated tensions.Ethiopia and Eritrea fought a border war from 1998 to 2000 that resulted in tens of thousands of deaths following Eritrean independence in 1993.
Relations improved under Abiy's rule when he signed a peace agreement with President Isaias Afwerki, who has governed Eritrea since its independence.Eritrean troops supported Ethiopian federal forces during the civil war in the Tigray region from 2020 to 2022, which claimed approximately 600,000 lives according to the African Union.
However, after the conflict, relations between the countries have grown more frosty.In October, Ethiopia accused Eritrea of supporting armed groups within its territory, a claim dismissed by Asmara as baseless.
This latest development highlights the ongoing tension and potential for further escalation unless international mediation can be successfully brokered.
