U.S. lifts sanctions targeting Eritrea's ruling party and the military
The U.S. government has lifted sanctions on Eritrea's ruling party and military, which were originally imposed in 2021 due to the conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region. The decision comes as the U.S. seeks to address security concerns in the Red Sea region.
Why it matters
This policy shift reflects changing geopolitical priorities in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, particularly regarding maritime security and Houthi threats.
The United States lifted sanctions against Eritrea's ruling party and the military that the Biden administration imposed, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
The sanctions were issued in 2021 over humanitarian and human rights concerns in the northern Ethiopian region of Tigray, which suffered violent conflict at the time. Eritrean forces backed Ethiopian troops against fighters loyal to the regional government of Tigray in the conflict that ended with a peace accord in November 2022.
The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control said in a Friday (September 18, 2026) statement that sanctions against some Eritrean individuals, including Hagos Ghebrehiwet, a key financial official, have been removed. The state-owned Red Sea Trading Corporation was also on the list.
Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel said the sanctions had been unwarranted and caused considerable damage to his country.
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