The Sovereign State of Eritrea: A Red Line Defined by Blood and Law

In its widespread hostile diplomatic and media campaign against Eritrean sovereignty, Abiy Ahmed’s Prosperity Party has been portraying Eritrea as a country “created” through a conspiracy to deny Ethiopia access to a seaport. This narrative is intended to mislead the younger generation. Arab countries in general, and Egypt in particular—which Abiy has labelled a “historic enemy”—are among those accused of orchestrating this alleged conspiracy.

Eritrea’s independence was secured through a remarkable military victory after a 30-year liberation struggle, culminating in 1991 with the overthrow of Ethiopia’s occupying forces in Eritrea. However, the legitimacy of the Eritrean people’s demand for an independent state predates the armed struggle itself.

After the Second World War, as African countries gained independence—including the former Italian colonies of Libya and Somalia—Eritrea was, against the will of its people and their aspirations for independence, federated with Ethiopia. Under the guise of a “federation”, Eritrea was placed under the Ethiopian Crown, paving the way for its recolonisation. In a further blatant violation of Eritrea’s rights, Ethiopia forcibly dissolved the federation and annexed Eritrea in 1962, just ten years after the federation was established, in defiance of the arrangements that had recognised Eritrea’s right to self-determination.

Against this historical backdrop, the Eritrean people’s struggle was a just struggle against Ethiopian occupation to reclaim their legal right to independence—a right that had been taken away in pursuit of broader geopolitical interests. This historical and legal reality is documented in the archives of the United Nations. It is also undeniable that, throughout this long and bitter struggle, the Eritrean people were deprived of moral and other forms of support from both near and far.

A nation’s sovereignty is not a favour granted by its neighbours, nor a boundary to be erased by their ambitions; it is a right defended by its people and protected by law. In other words, those seeking to justify their ambitions are willing to invent narratives that serve their purposes.

It must be understood that a world map is not a line drawn with a pencil—or a line between two points that can be redrawn at will simply because someone has invented a myth, because a dreamer whispers of a “window on the Red Sea”, or because a country claims “historical and geographical proximity”. International borders are governed by international law and treaties. This is fundamentally a matter of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The sovereignty of Eritrea, therefore, is a red line defined by blood and law. And woe to anyone who dares to cross it!