Eritrea, the African Country With Only One President, Faces Fears of War With Ethiopia

Fears of a new war between Eritrea and Ethiopia are growing in the Horn of Africa as relations between the two neighbours deteriorate.

The tensions have sharpened following Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s declaration that he wants Addis Ababa to secure access to the Red Sea through Eritrea. That ambition has brought the question of maritime access into focus amid an increasingly strained relationship.

For Eritrea, a country that has known only one president, the worsening ties place its relationship with Ethiopia under renewed scrutiny. The prospect of conflict is also fuelling concern beyond the two countries’ borders.

The central uncertainty is whether the dispute over access to the Red Sea will deepen into military confrontation. For now, the growing alarm reflects fears of a possible war, rather than confirmation that a new conflict has begun.