US Lifts Sanctions on Eritrea's Ruling Party and Military

The United States has lifted sanctions against Eritrea’s ruling party and military, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The sanctions were initially imposed in 2021 by the Biden administration due to humanitarian and human rights concerns arising from the conflict in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region.

Eritrean forces had supported Ethiopian troops against fighters loyal to the Tigray regional government in a conflict that concluded with a peace accord in November 2022. The fighting displaced many people in northern Ethiopia and was believed to have caused tens of thousands of deaths.

The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced the delisting of sanctions on Friday, which included individuals such as Hagos Ghebrehiwet, a key financial official, and the Red Sea Trading Corporation, an entity linked to the ruling party.

Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel stated that the sanctions were unwarranted and had caused significant damage to the country. He welcomed the decision as a positive gesture by the administration.

The removal of these sanctions occurs amid growing concerns over security in the Red Sea region. Recent advances by Houthi forces in Yemen have increased threats to shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial maritime passage near Eritrea's southern coast and the port of Assab.