Eritrea’s Information Minister Slams Ethiopia’s Red Sea Remarks at Tana Forum

Asmara, 25 October 2026 – Eritrea’s Minister of Information, Yemane Gebremeskel, has strongly criticised remarks made by Ethiopian officials at the Tana Forum on security in Africa. The remarks concerned the growing militarisation of the Red Sea and its impact on maritime security.

In a post on X, Yemane said Ethiopian officials were invoking Red Sea militarisation to argue that Ethiopia should be given a “seat at the table” for the sea’s stabilisation. He described this as an “unhealthy obsession” and an irony too obvious to need explanation.

The 12th Tana Forum took place from 23 to 25 October in the Ethiopian city of Bahir Dar, under the theme “Pathways to Peace in Africa: Economic Sovereignty and Geopolitical Transformation.”

In his opening remarks, the Director General of Ethiopia’s National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), Redwan Hussein, warned that growing militarisation, competition among foreign powers and attacks on commercial shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait pose risks to regional stability. He said securing the Red Sea requires cooperation among regional states and reliable international partners.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed also told the forum that access to the sea is an existential matter for Ethiopia, noting that the country has more than 130 million people. However, Abiy did not announce a new maritime agreement or a specific port.