NewsEthiopia claims Eritrea is readying to ‘wage war’ against itIn a letter to the UN, Ethiopia’s foreign minister claims Eritrea is colluding with a Tigray-based opposition group.

Ethiopia has formally accused the Eritrean government of collaborating with an opposition group in the Tigray region to initiate a military offensive. This claim was made by Ethiopia's Foreign Minister, Gedion Timothewos, in a letter addressed to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The letter alleges a clear "collusion" between Eritrea and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), a significant political entity in Ethiopia that concluded a two-year conflict with Addis Ababa in 2022. The letter states, "The collusion between the Eritrean government and the TPLF has become more evident over the past few months." It further accuses both parties of "funding, mobilizing, and directing armed groups" in the northern Amhara region.

The communication also highlights deteriorating relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea, which have a historical context of conflict. After Eritrea's independence from Ethiopia in 1993, a border war ensued from 1998 to 2000, causing significant casualties. Although relations improved in 2018 following Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's rise to power, tensions have resurfaced post the Tigray conflict.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has expressed interest in regaining sea access, which Ethiopia lost following Eritrea's independence. Minister Timothewos mentioned that Addis Ababa aims to engage in negotiations with Eritrea, emphasizing a vision for "shared prosperity through integration that preserves the territorial integrity and sovereignty of both states."

In recent developments, Eritrea, with a population of approximately 3.5 million, has been strengthening its relations with Egypt, another nation with strained ties with Ethiopia over water resource management.

Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.