Eritrea slams Ethiopia’s maritime ambitions as “misguided and outdated,” calls for international pressure

Addis Abeba– Osman Saleh, Eritrea’s Foreign Minister, said his country is “perplexed” by what it called Ethiopia’s “misguided and outdated ambitions” for maritime access and a naval base “through diplomacy or military force.” He urged the international community to press Ethiopia to respect “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its neighbors.”

Osman made the remarks during a briefing at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Asmara to resident ambassadors, members of the diplomatic corps, and heads of UN agencies. The briefing, shared by Eritrea’s Minister of Information Yemane Gebremeskel on X, addressed what Eritrea described as “false accusations” concerning its alleged preparations for war against Ethiopia, its stance on the Pretoria Agreement, and Ethiopia’s diplomatic push for sea access.

Osman said the Eritrean Defense Forces (EDF) had “redeployed to Eritrea’s internationally recognized borders” following the end of the two-year war in Tigray in November 2022. “Anyone that claims or suggests” otherwise, he said, is doing so “to scapegoat Eritrea for Ethiopia’s internal problems.”

He attributed these claims to “former TPLF members” who, he said, had “rejected the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC) ruling” and had worked toward “regime change in Eritrea to no avail.”

On the Pretoria Agreement, Osman said Eritrea views it as “an internal affair of Ethiopia” and has “no desire to intervene.” Any suggestion that Eritrea is involved in the conflict between the Tigray Interim Administration and the TPLF, he said, is “categorically rejected.”

Osman’s comments come amid heightened tensions between the two countries with former Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome has accused Eritrea of attempting to “exploit divisions within the TPLF” to weaken the Pretoria Agreement, warning it could “reignite war in northern Ethiopia” and “tear up the whole peace deal.” Eritrea rejected the claim at the time, with Yemane calling it an “audacious claim” meant to “rationalize a war-mongering agenda.”

Last week, Getachew Reda, President of the Tigray Interim Administration, has accused Eritrea of being among those “who think they can benefit from turmoil that will be created in Tigray,” asserting, “I know the Eritrean government is one of them.”

Lt. Gen. Tsadkan Gebretensae, Vice President of the Tigray Interim Administration, has also warned that war between Ethiopia and Eritrea “seems inevitable,” with Tigray at risk of becoming the main battleground.

U.S. Senator James Risch, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has expressed concern over the situation, warning that renewed conflict in Ethiopia’s north could have “catastrophic consequences.” He called on both Ethiopia and Eritrea to “urgently de-escalate tensions immediately.”

Regarding Ethiopia’s position on sea access, Osman said Eritrea was “perplexed” by what it sees as “misguided and outdated ambitions” to secure maritime access “through diplomacy or military force.” He urged the international community to take action, saying such efforts disregarded “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of neighbors.” AS

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