Ethiopia’s Abiy Dismisses War with Eritrea, Stresses Need for Red Sea Access

Ethiomonitor -Addis Ababa 

October  28, 2025

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on Tuesday that his country has no intention of going to war with Eritrea.

Tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea are escalating following Ethiopia’s determination to gain access to the Red Sea through Assab Port, which is considered strategically important.

 Addis Ababa has indicated that such access is vital for trade, military logistics, and economic development as its population approaches 130 million people.

Eritrea, once a province of the Horn of African nation, gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993 following a referendum. However, within five years, a border dispute between the two countries cost the lives of an estimated 100,000 people, followed by a diplomatic impasse for the next 20 years.

In 2018, the Ethiopian Prime Minister made a historic visit to Asmara to cement a new partnership, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize the following year.

In his address to lawmakers on Tuesday, the prime minister ruled out the possibility of war with Eritrea, underscoring the necessity of peaceful mechanisms to secure Red Sea access for the landlocked nation.

“We have no intention of war with Eritrea. We hope to resolve our differences through dialogue and will invite our international partners to assist us in addressing our issues. We did not lose access to the sea overnight, and we will not regain it overnight. However, our quest for access will proceed naturally,” he said.

“To those who say Ethiopia doesn’t deserve the Red Sea, we will not listen to you,” the prime minister added.

Despite assurances from Abiy and other Ethiopian officials that they are determined to regain access to the Red Sea through peaceful and diplomatic channels, Eritrea remains suspicious.

Eritrean officials have regarded Ethiopia’s ambitions as a “poisonous agenda of territorial claims.”

Additionally, the prime minister has accused Eritrea of interfering in Ethiopia’s internal affairs, claiming that the regime in Asmara is supporting opposition groups within Ethiopia.

“Our message to our Eritrean neighbors is: do not bring illegal weapons into our country,” Abiy warned, adding, “Stop supporting illegal migration, as we are overwhelmed by our own population. Stop the illegal trade and the use of forged currency, which enriches the black market. We desire peace, not war.”

Abiy also called on various Eritrea-allied opposition groups bent on overthrowing his government to join the negotiation table peacefully and requested that they detach themselves from a nation that has lost hope.

“What can they (the opposition in Ethiopia) learn “from a nation without hope—a society lacking a functioning government, unknown cabinet, no elections, and where no young people reside?” he asked.