The United States has lifted sanctions on Eritrea imposed over its role in the deadly war in neighbouring Ethiopia, as Washington seeks to “advance US regional interests” in a country strategically positioned along the Red Sea.
- The United States has lifted sanctions on Eritrea that were imposed due to its involvement in the Tigray conflict in Ethiopia.
- The move follows the expiration of the national emergency underlying the sanctions and removes several Eritrean entities and officials from the blacklist.
- Eritrea welcomed the decision, arguing the sanctions had been unjust and damaging to the country.
- The lifting of sanctions comes amidst growing international attention on the Red Sea corridor, a strategically important area for global trade and security.
The US Treasury said on September 18 that the national emergency underpinning the Ethiopia-related sanctions had “expired,” leading to the removal of designated Eritrean individuals and entities from its sanctions blacklist.
Those removed include the Eritrean Defence Force, President Isaias Afwerki’s ruling People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), Red Sea Trading Corporation, Hidri Trust and senior Eritrean officials.
The Biden administration imposed the sanctions in November 2021 after accusing Eritrean forces of abuses while fighting alongside Ethiopia’s federal army during the Tigray war, which ended with a peace agreement in November 2022 after leaving at least 600,000 people dead and hundreds of thousands displaced.
Washington shifts its approach to Eritrea
The sanctions had been renewed annually under a US declaration of a national emergency, but President Donald Trump chose not to extend the measures.
The State Department said the decision was made “to advance US regional interests.”
A State Department official told AFP that although implementation of the peace agreement had been “uneven,” Washington believed it was “time to adapt our foreign policy to current realities and collaboratively engage with both countries to advance US interests.”
Eritrea welcomed the decision. Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel told the Associated Press that the sanctions had been unwarranted and caused considerable damage to the country.
“In this respect, we welcome the gesture and remedial measures by the Trump Administration,” Gebremeskel said.
The move also comes as tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea have resurfaced over Addis Ababa’s push for access to the Red Sea.
Red Sea draws growing foreign interest
Meanwhile, Eritrea’s location places it along a Red Sea corridor that has attracted growing security and commercial interest from foreign powers.
The country has a long coastline opposite Saudi Arabia, while its southern coast and Assab port lie near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.
Turkey and Israel have expanded their security interests in the Horn of Africa through partnerships with Somalia and Somaliland, respectively, while Saudi Arabia and the UAE have increased their involvement in Red Sea security, ports and regional partnerships.
The US is now increasing its attention to the corridor as well. Reuters reported in May, citing an internal US government document, that Washington was preparing to lift the Eritrea sanctions amid renewed focus on the Red Sea and Eritrea’s strategic location.
The developments come as Houthi advances in Yemen increase threats to commercial shipping through Bab el-Mandeb.
Saudi Arabia has also sought to build an international coalition to protect Red Sea shipping, with 13 countries agreeing to participate by late July.
The Red Sea-Suez route remains critical to global and African trade. UN Trade and Development estimates that the Suez Canal normally handles about 10% of global seaborne trade by volume and 22% of containerised trade.
Several African economies have significant exposure to the route. About 34% of Sudan’s foreign trade by volume passes through Suez, compared with 31% for Djibouti, 15% for Kenya and 10% for Tanzania.
