All flights to and from Asmara, the capital city of Eritrea, have been lately suspended by Ethiopian Airlines (EA), the largest air operator in Africa. The airline says it is unable to do anything about the “difficult operating conditions” that have led to this suspension. Although this is obviously a terrible development, it was anticipated by the Eritrean government, which had already said in July that Ethiopian Airlines would no longer be allowed to operate within the nation by the end of August.
Background Information about the Suspension
A major shift in the dynamic between the two neighboring nations has occurred with the flight cancellations between Eritrea and Ethiopia. After an absence of twenty years, Ethiopian Airlines only recently restarted service to Eritrea six years ago. The 2018 restart of service was a watershed moment that symbolized the thawing of relations between the two countries after decades of hostility.
A fresh strain in diplomatic ties has been revealed by the recent suspension, though. Earlier, Ethiopian Airlines was accused of “malicious trading practices” by the Eritrean Civil Aviation Authority; the carrier has since denied the accusation. These complaints were unsolved even though Ethiopian Airlines tried to talk to the Eritrean government about them.
How Travelers and Passengers Will Be Affected
Though longer, more curved routes are likely to emerge, Ethiopian Airlines has promised to rebook impacted passengers on other airlines at no extra cost. Since there was previously just Ethiopian Airlines offering direct flights from Asmara to Addis Ababa, this disruption is especially noteworthy. Addis Ababa was a major hub for visitors using the route to reach cities all around Africa, Europe, and North America.
The unexpected suspension has shocked the numerous passengers who depended on this airlink. As relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea continue to worsen, worries regarding the wider consequences of this decision are rising. Some are worried that this could lead to a resurgence of the animosity that once defined the relationship between the two nations.
An Overview of the Past and Current Conflicts
Ethiopia and Eritrea’s relationship has been tense for a long time. Tens of thousands of people died as a consequence of the vicious border war that broke out between the two nations between 1998 and 2000. As a result of the wounds inflicted by the war, communication was icy for almost twenty years.
When Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia signed a “declaration of peace and friendship” with Eritrea in 2018, formally ending the long-standing hostilities, it marked a turning point. Many saw this historic accord as a fresh start for the Horn of Africa, and Abiy was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for it. One tangible sign of the new peace was the return of flights between Addis Ababa and Asmara.
After two years of civil conflict ended in the border region between Eritrea and Ethiopia’s northern Tigray province, things started to get worse. After beginning as an ally of the Ethiopian government during the war, Eritrea’s position has shifted dramatically following the end of hostilities in November 2022. The recent remarks made by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Ethiopia’s desire for access to a port on the Red Sea have exacerbated tensions, and Eritrea has voiced its reservations over the peace treaty that ended the fighting. Eritrea, whose 1991 independence from Ethiopia rendered the latter landlocked, is among the surrounding countries who have voiced their reservations about this aim.
Prospects for Ethiopia-Eritrea Diplomacy
There may be far-reaching effects from the recent flight cancellations and general worsening of relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Due to the closure of the land border and the subsequent suspension of the airlink, the sole means of communication between Ethiopia and Eritrea are telephones.
More diplomatic and economic fallout is still a distinct possibility given how unstable the situation is. Given the strategic importance of both countries in the Horn of Africa, the international world will be keenly monitoring events as they progress.
Last but not least, the halt in Ethiopian Airlines service to Asmara is indicative of deeper problems in the relationship between the two nations, which have a complicated and lengthy history. It is critical that both countries figure out how to put their differences aside and prevent a resurgence of the animosity that has plagued their relationship in the past as this situation unfolds
