ADDIS ABABA — The African Union Commission has called on Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt to step back from escalating tensions, urging the three governments to show maximum restraint in both their actions and public statements.
The continental body said the countries should keep communication channels open and address their disputes through established diplomatic mechanisms and peaceful dialogue. The AU said it was monitoring the situation with concern and offered to assist efforts to reduce tensions.
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The appeal follows a sharp deterioration in relations among the three countries, intensifying broader fears about stability in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia and Eritrea severed diplomatic ties this week after Addis Ababa shut its embassy in Asmara and expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats, accusing Eritrea of hostile conduct and backing armed groups inside Ethiopia.
Ethiopia has also alleged that Egypt, Eritrea and Sudan are supporting an opposition alliance engaged in fighting against the federal government. All three countries have rejected the allegations.
The diplomatic rift has emerged as fighting has resumed in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, where federal forces and an alliance led by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front have clashed. The latest developments have heightened concerns that the conflict could spread beyond Ethiopia’s borders.
The AU urged the governments to avoid measures that might further threaten regional peace and stability, reiterating that dialogue was the preferred route for resolving their differences.
AXADLETM
