Pan-African Parliament Urges Restraint as Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt Tensions Deepen

The Pan-African Parliament urges restraint, civilian protection and African-led dialogue amid tensions involving Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt.

The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) has called on Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt to exercise utmost restraint and pursue dialogue, warning that heightened tensions could have serious consequences for peace, security and stability in the Horn of Africa and across the continent.

In a statement, the Parliament’s Bureau urged the three countries to maintain diplomatic channels and avoid actions or statements that could escalate tensions. It also expressed concern over renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia, calling for the protection of civilians, unhindered humanitarian access and political solutions that preserve the country’s unity.

The appeal places parliamentary support behind African Union diplomatic efforts at a time when deteriorating relations between states and renewed internal conflict risk reinforcing one another.

Diplomatic tensions raise regional concerns

The Parliament’s intervention comes amid a deterioration in regional diplomatic relations. Reuters reported on 2 October that the African Union Commission had urged restraint following Ethiopia’s closure of its embassy in Eritrea and expulsion of Eritrean diplomats, Eritrea’s decision to sever diplomatic ties, and reciprocal diplomatic expulsions involving Ethiopia and Egypt. These developments underline the urgency of preserving avenues for peaceful engagement.

Against this background, PAP’s Bureau reaffirmed respect for sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, non-interference in internal affairs, and the peaceful settlement of disputes as fundamental African Union principles.

These principles provide a framework for addressing disagreements while preventing them from developing into wider confrontation. Maintaining communication is especially important during periods of heightened mistrust, when public statements and diplomatic measures can narrow the space for negotiation.

The Parliament urged the countries concerned to give African diplomatic efforts the opportunity to address differences, rebuild trust and promote good neighbourliness.

Protecting civilians in northern Ethiopia

Alongside its appeal for interstate restraint, PAP expressed concern about renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia and the suffering it could cause.

The Bureau called for civilian protection and unhindered humanitarian access, placing the needs of affected communities at the centre of its intervention.

For families caught in conflict, insecurity can disrupt access to food, healthcare, education and livelihoods. Humanitarian access is therefore an immediate priority, even as political and diplomatic efforts seek a more durable settlement.

PAP also called for political solutions that preserve Ethiopia’s unity and prevent further suffering. Its position recognizes that lasting stability requires dialogue capable of addressing the grievances and disputes that sustain conflict.

The statement connects two urgent responsibilities: protecting people from the immediate consequences of fighting and creating conditions for a sustainable political resolution.

Cooperation on water, development and regional security

The Bureau stressed that issues concerning water resources, development and regional security require cooperation grounded in mutual respect and shared interests.

Its appeal emphasized the need to safeguard the rights and aspirations of all affected peoples. This approach recognizes that national development priorities and the concerns of neighbouring countries must be addressed through sustained engagement.

Water resources are closely connected to livelihoods, food production, energy and economic development. Regional security likewise affects trade, investment and the ability of communities to pursue stable and productive lives.

Treating these questions through a cooperative framework can help countries identify practical areas of agreement, improve communication and reduce the risk that unresolved disputes fuel broader hostility.

PAP’s statement did not prescribe a particular settlement. It instead urged an approach in which differences are managed peacefully and legitimate concerns are addressed through negotiation.

Parliamentary diplomacy in support of African efforts

The Pan-African Parliament said it stood ready to contribute through parliamentary diplomacy, in coordination with African Union institutions, to strengthening communication and encouraging peaceful solutions.

Parliamentary engagement can provide an additional channel for dialogue by bringing legislators into discussions about the human, political and developmental consequences of regional tensions. It can also help sustain public support for peaceful engagement and encourage communication between parliamentary institutions.

The Bureau’s offer signals PAP’s willingness to support the wider African Union response through its representative and diplomatic role. The statement did not announce a specific parliamentary mission or mediation initiative.

By reaffirming that peace is a shared responsibility, the Parliament called for sustained commitment from the countries concerned and the institutions supporting diplomatic engagement.

Its central message is clear: restraint, civilian protection and continued dialogue are essential to preventing further suffering and securing lasting stability and development.