Eritrea has severed diplomatic relations with Ethiopia after Addis Ababa closed its embassy in Asmara and ordered 10 Eritrean diplomats to leave, deepening fears that renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia could expand into a wider Horn of Africa crisis.
The diplomatic rupture followed Ethiopia’s accusation that Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt were supporting an opposition alliance led by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, or TPLF. All three countries have denied the allegation.
Ethiopia said it was closing its embassy in Eritrea because of what its Foreign Ministry described as direct and indirect hostility. The Eritrean diplomats were declared persona non grata and given 48 hours to leave the country.
Eritrea responded by closing its mission in Addis Ababa and cutting diplomatic ties. Its Foreign Ministry said the expulsion of its diplomats left it with no option but to reciprocate, while acknowledging that the breakdown would carry negative consequences.
The dispute has also drawn Egypt into the confrontation. Ethiopia expelled an Egyptian diplomat, and Cairo responded by ordering an Ethiopian embassy counsellor to leave within the same 48-hour period.
African Union calls for maximum restraint
The African Union Commission said it was closely following the heightened tensions between Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt. It called on all three member states to exercise maximum restraint and avoid actions or statements that could further damage regional peace and stability.
The Commission stressed the importance of keeping communication channels open and urged the countries to resolve their differences through established diplomatic channels and peaceful dialogue.
It also offered to support de-escalation and the peaceful settlement of disagreements, subject to consultation with the governments involved. The appeal is significant because the African Union is headquartered in Addis Ababa and has an immediate institutional interest in preventing instability around its host country from spreading.
Renewed fighting raises wider fears
The diplomatic crisis comes as federal forces and an opposition alliance fight in northern Ethiopia. The clashes are the most serious escalation since the peace agreement of November 2022 ended a two-year civil war between Ethiopia’s federal government and Tigrayan forces.
Eritrea fought alongside Ethiopian federal troops during that conflict, but it was not a party to the peace agreement. Relations between Addis Ababa and Asmara later deteriorated, including over Ethiopia’s demand for reliable access to the Red Sea and Eritrean fears that its Assab port could become a target of Ethiopian pressure.
The latest confrontation is particularly dangerous because it connects several disputes. Ethiopia and Egypt have long disagreed over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and the use of Nile waters. Ethiopia and Eritrea now accuse each other of hostile activity, while the fighting in Tigray and Afar threatens to displace more civilians and reopen wounds from the previous war.
Explosions were heard in Addis Ababa before the diplomatic expulsions, adding to fears that the northern conflict could reach the capital. A source linked to the opposition alliance claimed that drone strikes had been carried out, but the claim had not been independently verified when this report was prepared.
Ethiopian authorities have since banned drone flights over Addis Ababa. Reports from the conflict zone indicate that federal forces have advanced in parts of Tigray while opposition forces have taken towns in neighbouring Afar. Claims from both sides remain difficult to verify independently.
Why the crisis matters beyond the three countries
A new regional conflict would carry consequences far beyond Ethiopia and Eritrea. The Horn of Africa already faces wars, displacement, food insecurity and competition over trade routes and access to the Red Sea.
Any direct confrontation between Ethiopia and Eritrea could disrupt cross-border trade, force more families from their homes and draw in governments with competing security and economic interests. It could also weaken the fragile arrangements that allowed humanitarian services and commerce to resume after the previous Tigray war.
For civilians in northern Ethiopia, the greatest concern is a return to large-scale fighting and the interruption of food, banking, transport and health services. Residents who survived the earlier conflict have had only a few years to rebuild homes and livelihoods.
The diplomatic expulsions also reduce the official channels available for managing military incidents and correcting misunderstandings. When embassies close and direct communication breaks down, governments can find it harder to contain border disputes or respond quickly to allegations.
The African Union’s offer of support therefore needs a prompt response. Restoring communication would not resolve the underlying disputes, but it could create space for de-escalation and reduce the risk that unverified claims or isolated incidents trigger a broader confrontation.
The immediate priority is restraint by all parties, protection of civilians and renewed diplomacy before the crisis becomes more difficult to reverse. Podium News will continue to monitor the African Union’s mediation efforts and verified developments in Ethiopia, Eritrea and the wider Horn of Africa.
