Ethiopia: Abiy Ahmed dismisses war possibility with Eritrea amid rising fears

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced on Thursday that his administration would avoid escalating tensions with Eritrea regarding access to the Red Sea, despite warnings from regional officials and experts about a potential conflict between the two neighboring countries.

Concerns about war have intensified recently following Eritrea's declaration of a nationwide military mobilization and Ethiopia's troop movements toward the border, as reported by diplomatic sources and officials.

Abiy emphasized that while access to the Red Sea is crucial for landlocked Ethiopia, his government is committed to resolving the issue through peaceful dialogue rather than military confrontation.

Renewed hostilities between the two nations could jeopardize the historic reconciliation that earned Abiy the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 and could lead to a humanitarian crisis in a region already affected by the ongoing conflict in Sudan.

The reconciliation had seen Eritrea support Ethiopian federal forces during the civil war from 2020 to 2022, which resulted in significant loss of life.

The relationship between the two countries soured again after Eritrea was excluded from negotiations to conclude the civil war in November 2022.

Since then, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) has fractured, with factions vying for control of the interim administration in the Tigray region.

The current administration has accused one faction of collaborating with Eritrea, while the dissenting group claims that their rivals have not adequately defended Tigrayan interests.

Abiy informed parliament that the interim administration's term has been extended for another year, with some modifications, although he did not specify if these changes would involve new leadership, a significant demand from the dissenting faction.

He stated that the interim administration would remain in place until the next general election scheduled for 2026, in accordance with the Pretoria agreement.