U.S. Moves to Lift Eritrea Sanctions Amid Red Sea Security Concerns
U.S. Moves to Lift Eritrea Sanctions Amid Red Sea Security Concerns WASHINGTON — The United States is preparing to lift sanctions on Eritrea, according to an internal government document obtained by Reuters, in a notable policy shift shaped...
U.S. Moves to Lift Eritrea Sanctions Amid Red Sea Security Concerns
WASHINGTON — The United States is preparing to lift sanctions on Eritrea, according to an internal government document obtained by Reuters, in a notable policy shift shaped by the East African nation’s growing strategic value as conflict ripples across the Middle East.
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The move to revoke the penalties, which analysts say reflects Eritrea’s control over a key Red Sea shipping corridor, would mark a major change in Washington’s approach to one of the world’s most isolated countries.
Under the State Department internal note, the U.S. intends to cancel an executive order signed by President Joe Biden “on or around May 4.” That step would unwind years of strained relations, following decades of suspended diplomatic ties and, more recently, sanctions directed at Eritrea’s ruling party and military officials.
The reversal comes as the war in Iran and the resulting shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz have squeezed global oil flows and unsettled maritime commerce. With the Strait of Hormuz closed, the Red Sea — where Eritrea holds a long coastline facing Saudi Arabia — has become the main route for trade moving between Asia and the Mediterranean.
“Control and cooperation along the Red Sea are no longer optional for Washington,” said an analyst familiar with the region. “The disruption of Persian Gulf routes has made Eritrea a mechanical necessity for global energy security.”
In 2021, the Biden administration imposed broad sanctions on the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), the Eritrean military, and senior security officials. Those measures came after Eritrea intervened in Ethiopia’s civil war, backing federal forces against regional authorities in Tigray.
The State Department and the Treasury did not immediately respond to requests for comment, but the internal document indicates Washington is placing greater weight on regional stability and the security of shipping lanes than on earlier human rights and military concerns.
It is not yet clear when the formal public announcement will be made, but the planned May 4 rescission would be the most substantial thaw in relations between Washington and Asmara in more than two decades.
AXADLETM