May 14, 2026
Borkena
Toronto – The United States earlier this week lifted an arms embargo on Ethiopia. It was imposed in 2021 during the war between the Federal government and Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) led regional government.
The war that caused the arms embargo started when the TPLF attacked the Northern Command of the Ethiopian Defence Force – as the Federal government claims – in November 2020. It ended in November 2022 with the signing of the Pretoria Agreement.
In addition to imposing arms embargo on the Federal government, the United States was a key player in brokering the Cessation of Hostility Agreement which the TPLF declared void last month on alleged grounds that the Ethiopian government violated it. However, the agreement was projected more like the making of the African Union.
The United States announcement of lifting the arms embargo came following a meeting between Marco Rubio and Ethiopia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Gedion Timotheos, earlier this week in Washington D.C.
Regional Security and United States investment interest in the country were among the agenda items during their meeting. Transportation and Mining are among the U.S. investment areas in Ethiopia.
News of the lifting of arms sanctions on Ethiopia came at a time when the United States is reportedly considering lifting sanctions on Eritrea, an important actor in the Horn of Africa that has shifted military and political alliance towards TPLF. Ethiopia has been accusing Eritrea of supporting rebels in the country including the TPLF.
Ethiopia has been procuring arms from other sources, including Russia, Turkey, UAE and more recently, Azerbaijan.
The military significance of the United States’ decision to lift the embargo does not seem to be considerable.
Meanwhile, there are unconfirmed reports that the United States has started a diplomatic effort to mediate Eritrea and Ethiopia. The two countries have been preparing for war for over a year now. On the surface, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government pursuit of access to the Red Sea by “any means” is considered to be the cause of tension. However, there are speculations that there could be more to it.
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