The United States Lifts Sanctions on the Eritrean Army

The United States announced on Friday that it will not renew sanctions imposed in 2021 on Eritrea, which targeted the military of the border state with Ethiopia overlooking the Red Sea.

Washington imposed sanctions in late 2021 on the ruling party in Eritrea and the Eritrean army, which its forces were accused of committing violations throughout the conflict in the Tigray region in northern Ethiopia.

These sanctions have been renewed annually so far under a declaration of "national emergency."

However, the U.S. Treasury Department indicated in a statement on its website on Friday that the effect of that declaration has ended, effectively lifting the sanctions.

In response to a question on this matter, the U.S. State Department clarified that "the president decided not to renew the national emergency, in order to enhance U.S. regional interests."

The state of emergency in northern Ethiopia was due to the conflict that took place between 2020 and 2022, resulting in the deaths of at least 600,000 people, and the ensuing humanitarian crisis.

A peace agreement was reached in November 2022 between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front rebels.

A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry stated to AFP that the implementation of this agreement has been "uneven" without a doubt, but that "it is time to adapt our foreign policy to the current reality and cooperate with the countries to enhance U.S. interests."

This decision comes in the wake of rising tensions in Tigray, raising fears of a return to war in the region.