Eritrea Cuts Diplomatic Ties With Ethiopia, Closes Embassy

Eritrea's foreign ministry announced on Thursday that it is severing all diplomatic relations with Ethiopia, according to a report by Sky News Arabia.

The move came in response to Addis Ababa's decision to expel ten Eritrean diplomats, the report said, marking a sharp escalation in already tense relations between the two Horn of Africa neighbors. Sky News Arabia reported that the diplomatic rupture coincides with a renewal of fighting in northern Ethiopia.

Escalating Tensions

The report did not specify the stated reason behind Ethiopia's decision to expel the Eritrean diplomats or detail the current state or location of the fighting referenced in northern Ethiopia. Relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea have fluctuated significantly over the past several years, having warmed notably following a 2018 peace agreement before facing renewed strain amid regional conflicts, including the war in Ethiopia's Tigray region, in which Eritrea was involved militarily.

The decision to close the Eritrean embassy in Ethiopia represents one of the most significant formal diplomatic breaks between the two countries in recent years. Sky News Arabia's report did not indicate whether other countries or regional bodies, such as the African Union, have issued statements on the development.

It remains unclear from the available reporting what practical effects the diplomatic break will have on trade, border movement, or other areas of bilateral engagement between the two nations, or whether further escalation is anticipated in the near term.