Tensions are rising in the Horn of Africa, as Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed calls for international mediation with Eritrea over access to the Red Sea. He describes Ethiopia’s claim as “irreversible.” While Abiy insists he seeks a peaceful solution, Eritrea views the move as a threat to its sovereignty and to the 2018 peace agreement that ended decades of hostility. The dispute centers on the strategic Assab Port, vital for regional trade, and comes amid mutual accusations and renewed mistrust between the two neighbours, raising concerns of instability in one of the world’s most important shipping corridors.
