Diplomatic relations between Eritrea and Ethiopia have completely broken down after the Eritrean Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the total severance of all bilateral ties. This drastic measure stems from a rapidly escalating diplomatic crisis triggered by Addis Ababa’s decision to shut down its embassy in Asmara and expel ten Eritrean diplomats.
This latest rupture follows an official statement issued by the Ethiopian government on October 1, 2026, declaring ten Eritrean officials—including the chargé d’affaires and diplomats accredited to the African Union—as persona non grata and ordering them to leave the country within a strict 48-hour deadline. Addis Ababa justified the directive by citing what it termed “direct and indirect acts of hostility and belligerence,” alleging that the targeted personnel had committed national security breaches violating the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
In a sharp and immediate response, Asmara dismissed these justifications as entirely baseless. In a scathing official statement, the Eritrean Ministry of Foreign Affairs turned the tables on Ethiopia, condemning the expulsions and embassy closure as “unwarranted acts of hostility.” Asserting that Eritrea had long exercised patience and restraint to prevent a dangerous regional escalation, the government declared it had no alternative left but to reciprocate fully by cutting all diplomatic channels.
These escalating tensions are compounded by broader regional friction points, most notably Ethiopia’s strategic push for sovereign access to the Red Sea and competing security dynamics across the Horn of Africa. Asmara’s statement strongly accused Ethiopia of sustaining an active agenda of confrontation, alleging deliberate provocations and backing for opposition factions intended to destabilize the nation.