US lifts sanctions on Eritrea’s ruling party and military — TimesLIVE
The United States has lifted sanctions against Eritrea’s ruling party and military entities that the Joe Biden administration imposed in 2021. The decision by the US Treasury Department was reported by TimesLIVE, citing the Associated Press.
Officials and company removed from sanctions list
On Friday, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced the removal of restrictions on several individuals from Eritrea. They include Hagos Gebrehiwet, whom the source describes as a key financial official.
Sanctions were also lifted from Red Sea Trading Corporation, a company linked to the country’s ruling party. Eritrea’s Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel said the sanctions were unjustified and caused significant harm to the country. He welcomed the decision by the Donald Trump administration.
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Sanctions imposed over the war in Tigray
The restrictions were imposed over humanitarian concerns and human rights violations during the armed conflict in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region. Eritrean forces supported Ethiopian troops in fighting against forces loyal to Tigray’s regional authorities.
The conflict ended with a peace agreement in November 2022. Because of the fighting, people in Tigray as well as the neighboring regions of Amhara and Afar were forced to leave their homes, while the death toll, according to the source, may have reached tens of thousands.
Security situation in the Red Sea
The lifting of sanctions came amid growing security concerns in the Red Sea region. Houthi advances in Yemen have increased threats to shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Eritrea’s southern coast and the port of Assab are located near this strategic maritime passage between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
