Secretary Rubio backs Ethiopia-Eritrea de-escalation — Anadolu Agency

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during a phone call with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, supported de-escalation by all parties amid tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea. The US State Department reported this on October 14, according to Anadolu Agency.

Call for dialogue

The State Department said that a lasting resolution of internal and external disputes is possible through dialogue and engagement in line with the peace framework between Ethiopia and Eritrea agreed in 2018.

Rubio also stressed that all states in the Horn of Africa must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of their neighbors and avoid cross-border invasions. He emphasized that the region cannot afford another conflict.

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Addis Ababa's position

Abiy Ahmed described the conversation as very productive. According to him, the sides discussed key bilateral, regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest. The Ethiopian prime minister also welcomed assurances of continued US support and joint work on bilateral cooperation and regional priorities.

Ethiopia and Eritrea fought on the same side during the Tigray war in 2020–2022, but their relations later deteriorated sharply. The governments of the two countries accuse each other of posing threats to regional stability. Tensions have also intensified over Ethiopia's desire to gain access to the Red Sea, including to Eritrea's port of Assab, which Asmara considers its sovereign territory.