Refoulement of Eritrean Refugees in Ethiopia: Examining the Geopolitical Shift in the Horn of Africa

The political dynamics in the Horn of Africa experienced significant transformations after the Pretoria Peace Agreement was established between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Ethiopian government. Although the agreement aimed to bring an end to the devastating armed conflict in Ethiopia (2020-2022), it has been accompanied by a decline in Ethiopia's relations with Eritrea. Once an ally of the Ethiopian government during this armed conflict, Eritrea has now forged closer ties with Egypt and Somalia. This new political alignment is motivated by mutual grievances against Ethiopia, particularly Egypt's opposition to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which it perceives as a threat to its water security, and Somalia's claims of sovereignty violations stemming from Ethiopia's MoU with Somaliland, a self-proclaimed independent entity that Somalia regards as part of its territory. In the present context of increasing tensions, Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers living in Ethiopia are experiencing more significant vulnerabilities. Various reports highlight occurrences of refoulement and arbitrary detentions despite claims from the Ethiopian government that these Eritreans are involved in criminal activities and unregistered. This article examines the non-refoulement of Eritrean refugees in light of changing Horn Africa regional alliances. By analysing this dimension, the study found out that Ethiopia bears a legal obligation to protect Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers from persecution upon return to their home country, irrespective. Eritrea-Egypt-Somalia Alliance.