Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister, Gedion Timothewos, has accused neighbouring Eritrea of military aggression and backing armed groups inside Ethiopian territory, signaling a sharp deterioration in relations between the two nations.
In a letter dated Saturday, February 7, Timothewos told his Eritrean counterpart, Osman Saleh Mohammed, that Eritrean forces had occupied parts of Ethiopia along their shared border for an extended period. He also alleged that Eritrea provided material support to rebel groups operating within Ethiopia.
“The incursion[s] of Eritrean troops further into Ethiopian territory … are not just provocations but acts of outright aggression,” the letter said. Timothewos demanded that Eritrea withdraw its troops and cease all collaboration with rebel groups.
Despite the accusations, Ethiopia expressed willingness to engage in dialogue, provided Eritrea respects its territorial integrity. Timothewos said Addis Ababa remains open to good-faith negotiations on issues of mutual interest, including maritime access through Eritrea’s Red Sea port of Assab.
The two nations, former adversaries who fought a border war from 1998 to 2000, signed a peace deal in 2018 and collaborated during Ethiopia’s two-year conflict in the northern Tigray region. However, Eritrea was not part of the 2022 agreement that ended the Tigray war, and relations have soured since.
There was no immediate comment from Eritrea on the letter. Eritrean authorities have previously reacted negatively to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s repeated statements about Ethiopia’s right to sea access, a move Eritrea views as a potential threat to its sovereignty.
