A Diplomatic Bridge Between Ethiopia and Eritrea Has Suddenly Gone Dark

Diplomatic relationships can sometimes disappear one formal statement at a time. In the Horn of Africa, that process moved rapidly on October 1, when Ethiopia ordered the closure of its embassy in Eritrea and expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats. Eritrea responded by announcing that it would sever all diplomatic ties with its neighbor.

Ethiopia said the decision to close its embassy in Asmara was a response to what its Foreign Ministry described as hostile actions by Eritrea. The 10 Eritrean diplomats were declared persona non grata and given 48 hours to leave Ethiopia.

Eritrea rejected Ethiopia's accusations and responded in kind. Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel told Reuters that expelling Eritrean diplomats effectively meant closing Eritrea's embassy in Addis Ababa. Eritrea's Foreign Ministry then said the country had no option but to sever diplomatic relations.

The diplomatic rupture came as fighting intensified in northern Ethiopia. Addis Ababa has accused Eritrea, along with Sudan and Egypt, of supporting an opposition alliance led by the Tigray People's Liberation Front. Those countries have denied the accusations. Reuters reported that the fighting represented the most serious escalation since the 2020–2022 war in northern Ethiopia.

The latest escalation was accompanied by reports of explosions in Addis Ababa. A source connected to the opposition alliance told Reuters that its forces had carried out drone strikes in the capital, including attacks that allegedly targeted military headquarters. Reuters said it could not independently verify those claims, and Ethiopian and TPLF officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The deterioration is particularly striking because Ethiopia and Eritrea had previously moved toward reconciliation. Ethiopia reopened its embassy in Asmara in 2018, following a rapprochement that helped bring an end to years of hostility. Eritrean forces later fought alongside Ethiopian federal troops during the 2020–2022 war, although Eritrea was not a party to the peace agreement that ended that conflict.

Relations subsequently deteriorated again, with disputes over security and Ethiopia's desire for access to the Red Sea becoming increasingly prominent. Ethiopia is landlocked and has repeatedly described reliable maritime access as important to its economy and national security. Eritrea, meanwhile, has expressed concern about Ethiopian ambitions involving its Red Sea coastline and ports.

The immediate diplomatic consequences are now clear even as the wider military picture remains fluid. Ethiopia has closed its embassy in Asmara and expelled Eritrean diplomats, while Eritrea has announced the end of diplomatic relations. The fighting and competing allegations surrounding it remain subjects of continuing international concern, with the risk of further regional instability still being assessed.

AI Image Disclaimer: The accompanying image is AI-generated and does not depict an actual diplomatic meeting or battlefield event.

Sources: Reuters; Associated Press; Addis Standard