March 18, 2025
Regional authorities in Tigray and politicians have been remarking about the inevitability of war between Ethiopia and Eritrea
Borkena
Toronto – Eritrea briefed diplomats in Asmara as relations with Ethiopia grow increasingly strained.
On Tuesday, Eritrea’s Ministry of Information announced that Osman Saleh, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, briefed resident ambassadors, the diplomatic corps, and heads of UN agencies on what Eritrea described as “false accusations” of war preparations, Ethiopia’s pursuit of sea access, and allegations related to the Pretoria Agreement.
“The EDF has been redeployed to Eritrea’s internationally recognized borders following the end of the conflict in November 2022,” the Ministry of Information quoted Osman Saleh as saying, implying no new deployments have been made to the Ethiopia-Eritrea border.
Eritrea has denied the presence of its troops within Ethiopian territory, stating, “Anyone claiming or suggesting that the EDF remains in Ethiopian territory is attempting to scapegoat Eritrea for Ethiopia’s internal issues.” Authorities in Ethiopia’s Tigray region have accused Eritrean troops of being present in the area and committing human rights abuses, including rape. The U.S. State Department and the European Union have supported calls by TPLF leaders for the withdrawal of Eritrean troops from Tigray even after the Pretoria Agreement.
However, the narrative has shifted recently. The Ethiopian government now alleges that a faction of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), led by Debretsion Gebremichael, is collaborating with “external forces” – presumed to include Eritrea – to provoke conflict in the region.
During the briefing, Eritrea reiterated its position on the Pretoria Agreement. Osman Saleh stated, “The GOE views the Pretoria Agreement as an internal matter for Ethiopia and has no intention of interfering in that process,” as reported by the Ministry of Information. Local sources indicate that Ethiopia-Eritrea relations, which were strong during the conflict between the TPLF-led Tigray region and the Abiy Ahmed-led federal government, deteriorated after the Pretoria Agreement ended the war in November 2022. Eritrea had fought alongside the Ethiopian government during the conflict.
Eritrea’s Foreign Minister also dismissed what he termed “misguided and outdated ambitions for maritime access and naval bases, whether through diplomacy or military force.” He urged the international community to pressure Ethiopia to respect the sovereignty of its neighbors.
Last week, Ethiopia held a similar diplomatic briefing in Addis Ababa. The Ethiopian government has frequently portrayed Eritrea as a destabilizing force in the Horn of Africa, while Eritrea accuses Ethiopia of “warmongering.”
Recent reports from mainstream media suggest that both countries have deployed troops to the northeastern border areas, raising concerns about a potential confrontation over Assab.
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