Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has ruled out any military conflict with Eritrea over Red Sea access, preferring dialogue to resolve the situation. Increased military activity from Eritrea and troop deployments from Ethiopia have raised fears of conflict, jeopardizing the fragile peace established since 2019. Renewed tensions threaten humanitarian stability in the region.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has made it clear that his government will not pursue any military conflict with Eritrea regarding access to the Red Sea. He stated, “Ethiopia does not have any intention of engaging in conflict with Eritrea for the purpose of gaining access to the sea,” emphasizing the need for peaceful dialogue to address this significant issue for his landlocked country.
Concerns regarding potential conflict have increased recently, particularly after Eritrea initiated a nationwide military mobilization and Ethiopia positioned troops near the border. The risk of renewed clashes poses a threat to the fragile relationship established through a historic rapprochement, which was rewarded with the Nobel Peace Prize for Abiy in 2019, and raises the specter of a humanitarian crisis in a region already destabilized by the ongoing war in Sudan.
This historic rapprochement witnessed Eritrea supporting Ethiopian federal forces during the Tigray conflict from 2020 to 2022, resulting in a significant loss of life. However, relations deteriorated after Eritrea was excluded from negotiations aimed at concluding that conflict in November 2022, leading to renewed tensions in the Horn of Africa.
In summary, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has asserted Ethiopia’s commitment to resolving its access to the Red Sea through peaceful means rather than conflict with Eritrea. Following alarming military mobilizations and troop deployments, there are grave concerns regarding a potential escalation into war, which could have disastrous humanitarian consequences, reversing the progress made since the rapprochement between the two nations. The need for dialogue remains critically important amidst these tensions.
Original Source: www.tradingview.com
