Ethiopia Closes Embassy in Asmara as Eritrea Severs Diplomatic Ties

Ethiopia has closed its embassy in Asmara and ordered ten Eritrean diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours. In response, Eritrea has completely severed diplomatic relations with Ethiopia. This dramatic escalation marks another chapter in the complex 36-year political history between the two nations, which has seen periods of close alliance, devastating war, and long stretches of a 'no war, no peace' stalemate. Relations initially flourished after 1991 following the defeat of the Derg regime, leading to formal diplomatic ties and economic integration. However, border disputes and currency issues triggered a full-scale border war in May 1998, which cost tens of thousands of lives and halted official diplomacy. Despite the 2000 Algiers Agreement, non-implementation of border commission rulings prolonged hostilities until a diplomatic breakthrough occurred in 2018 under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.