The Eritrean Civil Aviation Authority has requested that Ethiopian Airlines to pay long-standing debt of 3.7 million dollars. In a letter sent by the Eritrean civil aviation authority, it was stated that this debt dates back over two decades.

Ethiopian Airlines ceased its flights to Eritrea prior to the Ethio-Eritrean war. The debt being demanded by the Eritrean Civil Aviation Authority is reportedly for the year 1997/1998. Subsequently, it has been reported that the Eritrean government has filed a lawsuit against Ethiopian Airlines in a court in Eritrea.

Last month, the airline halted its flights following the deadline set by the Eritrean Civil Aviation Authority to cease operations in Eritrea by September 30, 2024. Ethiopian Airlines had previously mentioned in a press conference that they were barred by the Eritrean civil aviation from accessing their funds in Eritrea. However, the exact amount of money blocked by the Eritrean government was not disclosed.

It is worth noting that the once-friendly relations between the two governments deteriorated after the ceasefire of the Tigray genocidal war in Pretoria. The Ethiopian government raised questions to access Red Sea port issues, which led to tensions. Additionally, the Ethiopian airline and telephone services that had been facilitating communication between the two countries since the peace agreement in 2018 were cut off last month.

Currently, the Eritrean government is actively forming alliances with nations hostile to Ethiopia, such as Egypt. This has raised concerns about the stability of the region and the potential for increased conflict