'Ethiopia Needs to Negotiate, Not Fight, Over Red Sea Access,' Ethiopia's PM Says
© Getty Images / Luke Dray
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Renewed fighting in Ethiopia's Tigray region, stemming from a power struggle within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, led to speculation about a potential conflict between Ethiopia and its neighbor Eritrea.
In his speech to Parliament, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed addressed the speculations of an impending war between Ethiopia and Eritrea, labeling the threats as unrealistic.
The prime minister also highlighted that conflicts have been resolved peacefully in the past, particularly when Ethiopia had tense relations with Somalia. He emphasized that Ethiopia is committed to maintaining peaceful relations with its neighbors and resolving regional and local conflicts through diplomacy.
"There were many talks suggesting that war could erupt with Somalia, but you saw how we resolved it. We intervened when there was a problem between Somalia and Kenya. We intervened when there were challenges between our brothers in Sudan, and when there were problems in South Sudan—all because we want peace in our region," Abiy Ahmed said.
He pointed out that the issue of Ethiopia's maritime gateway is a matter of its existence. However, Abiy Ahmed reiterated that no party should engage in harassment.
