Eritrea’s Antagonistic Policy Threatens Regional Stability, Says Prof. Alemayehu 

Addis Ababa, October 22, 2026 (ENA) — Eritrea’s confrontational approach toward Ethiopia threatens regional security and undermines prospects for peace, economic cooperation and integration across the Horn of Africa, Ethiopian American scholar Emeritus Professor Alemayehu G. Mariam underscored.

the former California State University, San Bernardino professor said Eritrea’s leadership viewed Ethiopia as a strategic adversary and considered instability in its larger neighbor advantageous to the survival of its own government.

“Since they cannot militarily overcome Ethiopia, their best approach is to destabilize Ethiopia every way they can,” he told POA, describing what he characterized as Asmara’s strategy toward Addis Ababa.

Professor Alemayehu further elaborated that Eritrea’s leadership viewed Ethiopia’s internal divisions and conflicts as serving its own political interests. 

He said the Shabia regime believes that the more unstable, divided, and conflict-ridden Ethiopia becomes, the stronger the Eritrean government becomes.

He added Eritrea is supporting armed groups hostile to the Ethiopian state, supplying weapons and military equipment, and facilitating military assistance from Egypt and Sudan. He said, this  reflected a broader strategy of weakening Ethiopia rather than pursuing constructive bilateral relations.

Contrasting the two countries’ approaches, Alemayehu said Ethiopia was pursuing regional economic integration, expanded markets and shared prosperity, while Eritrea’s confrontational posture was obstructing opportunities for cooperation and development across the Horn of Africa.

He also criticized Eritrea’s domestic political system, describing it as authoritarian and focused on preserving the ruling government’s hold on power. 

The absence of elected national leadership, political repression and the continued exodus of young people, he argued, had imposed significant costs on Eritrean society and contributed to regional instability.

On security, Professor Alemayehu said Eritrean troops had entered Ethiopian territory, citing satellite imagery and ground-level video recordings as evidence. He argued that international calls for Eritrea to respect Ethiopia’s sovereignty had not adequately addressed the issue.

He called for a firm response from Ethiopia  as continued military incursions and support for armed groups operating against Ethiopia.

Alemayehu also characterized the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) as a proxy through which Eritrea had sought to exert pressure on Ethiopia. He argued that the weakening of the group had constrained Asmara’s ability to destabilize its neighbor.

“If Eritrea continues its military incursions into Ethiopia, Ethiopia will have the right of self-defense,” he said.

He further argued that such a response could include what he termed anticipatory self-defense and the possible establishment of a security or buffer zone inside Eritrea to prevent further cross-border attacks.

On Eritrea’s political future, Professor Alemayehu said change could emerge from within the country or through external pressure. 

He maintained that continued confrontation with Ethiopia would remain an obstacle to lasting peace and regional cooperation.