The African Union Commission (AU) has expressed profound concern over rapidly escalating diplomatic and geopolitical tensions among Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Egypt, urging the three member states to exercise maximum restraint as the Horn of Africa and Nile Basin navigate a precarious security environment.
In a communiqué released Thursday from the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, the continental body called upon the governments to immediately halt provocative rhetoric, unilateral actions, and hostile statements that could further destabilize an already volatile region . The Commission emphasized that peace, security, and economic development across Africa depend on cooperation and mutual respect among neighboring states, urging the three nations to preserve open communication channels.
The AU reminded the parties of their obligations under the Constitutive Act of the African Union, stressing that all grievances—historical disputes or current geopolitical disagreements—must be addressed through established diplomatic channels and constructive dialogue rather than confrontation . The Commission signaled its readiness to work in close consultation with the concerned countries to facilitate de-escalation, mediate talks, and support a mutually acceptable peaceful resolution .
The diplomatic rupture between Ethiopia and Eritrea reached a breaking point on October 1,2026 when Ethiopia declared ten Eritrean diplomats persona non grata, accusing them of activities posing a direct threat to national security, and announced the closure of its embassy in Asmara . Eritrea responded by severing all diplomatic ties, with Asmara stating it had “no option but to reciprocate in kind” .
The deterioration follows renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia, where the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and allied armed groups launched an offensive in late September, capturing strategic towns and airports before federal forces mounted counterattacks . The conflict has displaced approximately 150,000 people in the Afar region alone, according to humanitarian sources .
The tensions are rooted in multiple overlapping disputes. Ethiopia and Egypt remain deadlocked over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile, which Ethiopia inaugurated in September 2025 without a binding agreement with downstream nations . Egypt, which relies on the Nile for more than 90% of its freshwater, views the dam as an existential threat . Ethiopia’s pursuit of sovereign access to the Red Sea, particularly the Eritrean port of Assab, has further inflamed relations with Asmara .
