Toronto – About two weeks ago, former Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome published an op-ed piece on Al Jazeera, claiming that the Eritrean government is working to stir conflict in the region by using one faction of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). The former president argued that the conflict he predicted could extend far beyond the Horn of Africa and that the Eritrean government must be stopped “before it is too late.” He further asserted that war is a business for the Eritrean government.
At the time, it was widely believed, including by the Eritrean government, that Mulatu’s views represented those of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration. One possible confirmation of this was Eritrea’s response, in which the Minister of Information, Yemane Gebremeskel, released a statement accusing Ethiopia of “warmongering.” Notably, Eritrea typically does not respond to accusations unless they are of a serious nature.
However, the Ethiopian government has now distanced itself from the views expressed by former President Mulatu Teshome. On Friday, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the former president shared his personal opinions based on his experience in the region. Nebiyu Getachew, the ministry’s spokesperson, made these remarks during a press conference. “Ethiopia is a country with, fortunately, more than one former president,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying, subtly implying that Eritrea has been under the leadership of President Isaias Afwerki and that Eritreans are unfamiliar with the concept of a former president.
Eritrea has not yet responded to Ethiopia’s latest statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In the days following Mulatu’s Al Jazeera article, reports surfaced that Eritrea had recalibrated its military mobilization to include former soldiers aged 60. Additionally, a travel ban was reportedly introduced, preventing men and women under the age of 50 from leaving the country. Dawit, a Calgary-based pro-Eritrean government activist, dismissed the BBC Amharic report as fake. In an interview with Anchor Media this week, he stated, “I would rather believe Fana [Ethiopian state media] than BBC Amharic.”
The relation between the two countries further deteriorated and there are growing concerns that a war could erupt between Eritrea and Ethiopia.