Ethiopia Seeks International Mediation Over Sea Access Dispute with Eritrea - May Allah Guide a Peaceful Outcome
Assalamu alaikum. Ethiopia’s leader has asked for international mediation with Eritrea regarding access to the sea, stressing that the country’s claim to a coastline is irreversible as tensions rise between the neighboring nations in the Horn of Africa. Abiy Ahmed said Ethiopia does not want war with Eritrea and believes the matter can be settled peacefully. He told parliament that he has spoken with the United States, Russia, China, the African Union and the European Union, and has requested their help to reach a lasting solution. Eritrea’s Information Minister had not immediately replied to requests for comment. After Eritrea became independent in 1993, the two countries fought a brutal border war from 1998 to 2000 with heavy loss of life. Relations improved when Abiy negotiated a peace agreement with Eritrean leader Isaias Afwerki in 2018, a move that won Abiy a Nobel Peace Prize. Eritrean forces later backed Ethiopian federal troops during the conflict in the Tigray region between 2020 and 2022, a war that caused immense suffering. Since the conflict ended, ties between Addis Ababa and Asmara have been strained again. In October, Ethiopia accused Eritrea of supporting armed groups-a charge Eritrea denied. Eritrea, a country of about 3.5 million people, has also drawn closer to Egypt, which has its own tensions with Ethiopia. May Allah grant wisdom to the leaders and protect civilians; may a just and peaceful resolution be found.
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