Crisis Deepens As Ethiopia, Eritrea Cut Diplomatic Relations

Ethiopia and Eritrea have severed diplomatic relations amid escalating tensions and renewed fighting in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, raising concerns over a possible wider crisis in the Horn of Africa.

According to Bush Radio Academy, Ethiopia announced on Thursday that it would close its embassy in Eritrea’s capital, Asmara, accusing the Eritrean government of engaging in what it described as direct and indirect acts of hostility against Ethiopia.

Addis Ababa also declared 10 Eritrean diplomats persona non grata and ordered them to leave the country within 48 hours. The Ethiopian government accused the diplomats of involvement in activities it said posed a threat to the country’s national security.

Eritrea responded by announcing that it was severing all diplomatic ties with Ethiopia. Its Foreign Ministry rejected Ethiopia’s accusations and said the closure of its embassy and expulsion of its diplomats had left Asmara with no option but to respond with similar measures.

The diplomatic rupture represents a significant deterioration in relations between the two neighbouring countries, which had improved in 2018 after years of hostility. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki had overseen a rapprochement that year, with Ethiopia reopening its embassy in Asmara.

Relations have since deteriorated, particularly following the 2020–2022 Tigray war. Ethiopia and Eritrea had previously fought on the same side during that conflict, but their relationship became increasingly strained after the war ended with the November 2022 peace agreement, to which Eritrea was not a party.

The latest diplomatic confrontation came as fighting intensified between Ethiopian federal forces and an opposition alliance led by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of supporting the opposition forces, but Eritrea has denied the allegation. Reports indicate that hundreds of people have been killed or wounded since the latest fighting began, while humanitarian organisations have reported large numbers of people requiring medical treatment and displacement.

The situation was further complicated by reports of explosions in Addis Ababa, including near the headquarters of the Ethiopian National Defence Force. The cause of the blasts and whether they were connected to the ongoing conflict was initially unclear. Authorities had also recently restricted drone flights around the capital amid heightened security concerns.

The renewed violence has raised fears of a return to the devastating Tigray conflict that lasted from 2020 to 2022. International and regional organisations, including the African Union, have called for restraint and dialogue as concerns grow over the potential impact of the escalating tensions on stability across the Horn of Africa.