Inside Story
The United States calls for dialogue as regional East Africa tension escalates.
East African neighbours Ethiopia and Eritrea are once again perilously close to all-out war.
Territorial disputes have dogged their relations since Eritrea gained independence in 1993.
They fought a bitter war between 1998 and 2000. And despite a truce, they remained in a state of war for nearly 20 years.
The Jeddah accord in 2018 brought peace. But tensions have lingered.
Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of supporting rebels in its Tigray region, while Eritrea accuses landlocked Ethiopia of planning to capture one of its key Red Sea ports.
Can diplomacy end this deep-rooted conflict?
Presenter: James Bays
Guests:
Faisal Roble – Political analyst specialising in the Horn of Africa
Jervin Naidoo – Senior political analyst at Oxford Economics Africa
Matt Bryden – Strategic adviser at Sahan, a think tank focused on governance, politics and security in the Horn of Africa
Published On 16 Oct 2026