The US State Department said on Wednesday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio supports de-escalation between Ethiopia and Eritrea as military and diplomatic tensions between the two countries rise, amid fears of a new confrontation in the Horn of Africa.
Rubio discusses regional partnership with Abiy Ahmed
The US position came as Rubio held a phone call with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, during which they discussed bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest. Abiy Ahmed described the call as «productive», saying it reflected both countries’ commitment to turning their relations into a more strategic and practical partnership.
The Ethiopian prime minister also welcomed Washington’s confirmation that it would continue supporting Ethiopia, pointing to a shared commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation and addressing regional and international issues. The US State Department had warned in an official statement issued by its spokesman Tommy Pigott on 3 October that rising tensions along the Ethiopia-Eritrea border could have repercussions across the region.
The statement said the Horn of Africa could not withstand another military conflict and humanitarian crisis, warning that a war would threaten existing US cooperation with both countries on matters of shared interest.
Washington urged Ethiopia and Eritrea to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity, exercise the utmost restraint, and return to dialogue and cooperation within the framework of the peace agreement signed in 2018. The US State Department stressed that dialogue was the only path to sustainable security, economic growth and prosperity.
Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of incursion into Tigray
The US moves follow a sharp escalation between Addis Ababa and Asmara, after Ethiopia accused neighbouring Eritrea of carrying out a military incursion into the Tigray region in the north of the country. In a letter to the UN Security Council, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos accused Eritrean forces of advancing up to 60 kilometres into Ethiopian territory.
Addis Ababa considered the moves a violation of its sovereignty, citing Article 51 of the UN Charter concerning the right of self-defence. Eritrea, meanwhile, rejected Ethiopia’s accusations and accused Addis Ababa of seeking to justify a war targeting its territory, particularly the Red Sea port of Assab.
Asmara also called on the Security Council to take a position on Ethiopia’s statements and actions, warning of the consequences of any military confrontation for regional stability. The crisis worsened as fighting resumed in the Tigray region, where Ethiopian forces clashed with opposition armed groups, alongside reports that Eritrean forces had entered the region.
Deteriorating relations and dispute over Red Sea access
Diplomatic relations between the two countries deteriorated sharply after Ethiopia expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats and closed its embassy in Asmara, before Eritrea announced that it was severing diplomatic relations with its neighbour. The dispute has its roots in longstanding border and security issues, as well as Ethiopia’s efforts, as a landlocked country, to secure access to the Red Sea.
Eritrea regards these efforts as a threat to its sovereignty over the port of Assab. The two countries fought a border war between 1998 and 2000 before signing a peace agreement in 2018. However, relations deteriorated again after the Tigray war ended in 2022. Amid the escalation, the European Union also warned that continued tensions could lead to a wider regional conflict.
It called on all parties to avoid actions and statements that heighten tensions and to return to political and diplomatic solutions.
