Eritrea Ethiopia phone lines have again been cut off amid bilateral tensions. The two countries, for the most part of the last 3 decades, remained in dispute.
In 1998, Eritrea and Ethiopia fought a war causing 80,000 casualties. Since 1998 till 2018, communication lines between the two countries remained suspended. Ethiopian Airline was not allowed to operate in Eritrea and diplomatic relations were totally suspended.
In 2018, an era of reconciliation began. Ethiopian Prime Minsiter Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki signed a peace deal. Diplomatic relations were restored. Ethiopian airlines started flights to and from Amhara. Phone connections resumed.
It seems that the era of reconciliation is over. Reportedly, phone lines have again been cut off between Eritrea and Ethiopia. Eritrean citizens are unable to contact their loved ones in Ethiopia. Ethiopia hosts tens of thousands of Eritrean refugees.
Last month, Ethiopian airlines suspended flight operations in Asmara after Eritrean government gave a deadline to the Ethiopian airline to stop its operations in Eritrea. Diplomatic relations are intact but largely no diplomatic engagements are happening between the two countries.
Eritrea supported Ethiopian military against Tigray fighters in the recent war in northern Ethiopia. After TPLF and Ethiopian federal government signed Pretoria peace deal in November 2022, Eritrea Ethiopia relations deteriorated. Another major factor worsening the bilateral relations is new Ethiopian narrative about access to sea. Last year, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, in a speech, said that Ethiopia had natural rights to gain access to sea. His speech was seen as a threat to Eritrea as Ethiopia is interested in regaining access to Asseb port in Eritrea.
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