Cairo–Asmara Axis Root of Security Crisis in Ethiopia, Says Analyst Prof. Al Mariam

Addis Ababa, October 24, 2026 (ENA) — The ongoing security threats and regional instability facing Ethiopia stem from a long-standing strategic alignment between Cairo and Asmara to cripple the nation’s development, according to the political analyst Al Mariam.

In an article published on Megatopia, Professor Al Mariam analyzed historical remarks made by Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki during a press conference in the early 1990s, noting that Egypt and Eritrea have historically coordinated to deprive Ethiopia of peace and generate continuous internal hardship.

Al Mariam said the underlying strategic objective binding the axis is securing Egyptian dominance over the Nile waters. 

He explained that Egyptian political strategy relies on keeping upstream Nile Basin nations in a state of perpetual turmoil to restrict their ability to carry out vital riverine development projects along the Abay River.

According to the analyst, President Isaias’ explicit acknowledgment of the campaign to "give Ethiopia work" reflects a deliberate strategy of exhaustion. 
By fomenting internal conflicts, funding armed insurgent groups, and conducting cross-border military incursions, the axis aims to force the Ethiopian government into continuous defense spending. 

This systematic diversion of national resources away from socio-economic and infrastructure projects serves to weaken state institutions and undermine national unity, the analyst elaborated.

Al Mariam emphasized that the Eritrean regime effectively functions as a client state and proxy for Cairo, carrying out actions that compromise the stability of the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea corridor. 

He added that the calculated acts of destabilization orchestrated by Egypt and Eritrea constitute a grave threat not only to Ethiopia's sovereignty but also to the broader peace and security of the entire region.