Rubio tells Ethiopia’s Abiy that countries must respect neighbors’ sovereignty

The top US diplomat on Wednesday told Ethiopia’s prime minister that all sides need to de-escalate amid heightened tensions and clashes with Eritrea.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Abiy Ahmed Ali that the only sustainable solution would be achieved through dialogue and engagement as agreed to in the 2018 Ethiopia-Eritrea peace framework.

“The Secretary stressed that all countries in the Horn of Africa must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of their neighbors and avoid cross-border incursions,” the State Department said in a readout of the call. “The Secretary emphasized that the region cannot tolerate more conflict.”