Ethiopian Ambassador to Uganda Etsegenet Bezabih Yimenu has welcomed General Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s expression of support for Ethiopia’s National Defence Force (ENDF) amid renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia.
In a message addressed to the UPDF Chief of Defence Forces, Ambassador Etsegenet thanked General Muhoozi for supporting Ethiopia’s unity and sovereignty and reaffirmed the Ethiopian government’s commitment to peace and nation-building.
“Dear General Muhoozi Kainerugaba Musevienne, @mkainerugaba, Chief of the Defense Forces of the #UPDF, thank you for expressing your support for #ENDF @AishaMo_Mussa and for Ethiopia’s unity and sovereignty.
The government and people are focused on nation-building for a peaceful, prosperous, and dynamic Ethiopia and Africa at large. The Pretoria peace agreement must be respected.”
Ambassador Etsegenet’s remarks follow a statement by General Muhoozi in which he called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in northern Ethiopia and urged all parties to respect the Pretoria Peace Agreement.
The latest fighting has raised concerns over the future of the 2022 peace deal that ended the devastating two-year war between the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
Regional forces in Tigray reportedly seized control of three airports on Wednesday and clashed with federal troops in several locations, raising fears of a wider escalation.
The developments come after months of growing tensions in northern Ethiopia, including divisions within the TPLF and the emergence of an alliance involving the TPLF and six other armed groups from across Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian government has accused Eritrea of backing members of the alliance, an allegation rejected by Asmara.
Regional tensions raise concerns
The renewed tensions are unfolding against a wider backdrop of instability across the Horn of Africa.
Relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea have deteriorated since the Pretoria Agreement, despite the two countries having restored diplomatic relations under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
Eritrean forces supported Ethiopia’s federal army during the Tigray war, but Eritrea was not a party to the Pretoria peace agreement.
Access to the Red Sea has also become a major point of contention. Ethiopia, which lost its coastline following Eritrea’s independence in 1993, has repeatedly stressed the strategic importance of securing reliable access to the sea, including through the port of Assab.
Eritrea has expressed concerns over Ethiopia’s intentions towards its territory and coastline.
The situation is further complicated by conflicts and rivalries across the region, including Sudan’s civil war, instability in Somalia, tensions over the Nile and growing geopolitical competition around the Red Sea.
Ethiopia has also faced allegations of supporting Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, which Addis Ababa denies, while the United Arab Emirates has faced similar accusations concerning the RSF.
At the same time, Eritrea has maintained closer relations with Sudan and developed ties with Egypt, which remains at odds with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and the management of Nile waters.
The latest diplomatic exchanges between Kampala and Addis Ababa therefore come as regional actors call for restraint and renewed adherence to the Pretoria framework to prevent the Tigray crisis from developing into a broader conflict.