The US State Department said Secretary Rubio supported de-escalation between Ethiopia and Eritrea during a call with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, which addressed rising tensions with the neighbouring country as well as issues of mutual interest to Washington and Addis Ababa.
Rubio backs de-escalation between the two countries
The department said in a statement that Rubio discussed the ongoing tensions with Eritrea with Abiy Ahmed, adding that the secretary supported de-escalation by all parties as tensions between the two countries intensified in the border region. Abiy, for his part, described the call as productive, saying the talks covered bilateral, regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest.
He added, according to the Ethiopian News Agency, that the discussions reflected the two countries’ commitment to transforming their longstanding relationship into a more strategic and practical partnership. He welcomed the confirmation that US support for Ethiopia would continue and that cooperation between the two sides would be strengthened.
