Eritrea Welcomes Trump Administration’s Sanctions Relief After Years Of US Restrictions

Eritrea has welcomed the Trump administration’s decision to lift US sanctions on its ruling party, military and key entities, describing the move as a corrective step after years of restrictions imposed over the country’s role in the Tigray conflict in neighbouring Ethiopia.

The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced the delistings on Friday after the national emergency linked to the humanitarian and human rights crisis in Ethiopia expired. The emergency was declared in 2021 during the Tigray war, when Eritrean forces backed Ethiopian federal troops against fighters loyal to the Tigray regional government.

The conflict ended with a peace agreement in November 2022, but US sanctions imposed during the war remained in place for several years.

Among the entities removed from the US sanctions list are Eritrea’s People’s Front for Democracy and Justice, the country’s ruling party, and the Eritrean Defense Forces. Eritrean financial official Hagos Ghebrehiwet was also delisted, along with the state linked Red Sea Trading Corporation and Hidri Trust.

Eritrea has described the sanctions as unjustified. Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel said they had caused considerable damage to the country and welcomed Washington’s decision.

“In this respect, we welcome the gesture and remedial measures by the Trump Administration,” Gebremeskel told The Associated Press, according to Kulu Media.

The sanctions were imposed amid international criticism over the involvement of Eritrean forces in the Tigray conflict. The war caused widespread displacement and a major humanitarian crisis in northern Ethiopia.

The US decision comes as the Red Sea and Bab el Mandeb face renewed security concerns. Eritrea has a long coastline along the Red Sea, while its southern port of Assab lies close to the Bab el Mandeb Strait, the strategic maritime passage connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.

The waterway has become increasingly important amid attacks and military developments linked to the conflict in Yemen. Recent Houthi advances have raised fresh concerns about shipping security around the strategic passage, adding importance to countries located along the Red Sea.

Eritrea’s geographical position has therefore gained renewed attention as the US and other countries assess security risks around one of the world’s most important shipping routes.

The sanctions removal, however, does not mean that every US restriction involving Eritrea has been lifted. The latest action concerns measures imposed under the Ethiopia related national emergency following its expiration.

For Asmara, the decision removes major US restrictions imposed during the Tigray war. For Washington, it comes at a time when the Horn of Africa, Red Sea and Bab el Mandeb are becoming increasingly important in the wider regional security picture.