Eritrea has urged the international community to pressure Ethiopia to respect the sovereignty of neighboring countries, amidst rising tensions following a peace agreement in 2018 and the Tigray war. Ethiopian PM’s claims regarding maritime ambitions further escalate the situation, while military mobilizations and reports of armament movements suggest potential conflict.
Eritrea has urged the international community on Wednesday to apply pressure on Ethiopia to uphold the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its neighboring countries amid escalating tensions between the two nations in the Horn of Africa. This comes in the wake of deteriorating relations following a peace agreement in 2018 that ended decades of conflict since Eritrea’s independence in 1993 and further strained by the Tigray war from 2020 to 2022.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has angered Eritrea by suggesting that it seeks access to the port of Assab for landlocked Ethiopia. Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel remarked on Ethiopia’s “misguided ambitions for maritime access” and emphasized that Eritrea demands respect for its sovereignty. He made these statements on X, calling for global intervention on this issue.
Additionally, Gebremeskel criticized claims regarding Eritrea’s military preparations against Ethiopia as “false accusations”. Despite requests for comments from Ethiopian officials, no response was forthcoming. A report from Human Rights Concern Eritrea (HRCE) mentioned a nationwide military mobilization in Eritrea for individuals under 60, although AFP could not verify this claim independently.
Recent reports indicated that convoys with weaponry were heading to northern Afar, Ethiopia, which borders Eritrea. General Tsadkan Gebretensae, a Tigrayan military strategist, warned that “a war between Ethiopia and Eritrea could break out at any moment.” The region continues to be volatile, with over 600,000 casualties reported from previous conflicts.
Eritrea’s call for international pressure on Ethiopia highlights increasing regional tensions marked by past hostilities and current military mobilizations. The Eritrean government refutes accusations of war preparations and emphasizes its sovereignty concerns, while the potential for conflict remains high due to ongoing unrest in the Horn of Africa.
Original Source: newscentral.africa
