It's a shame those words don't belong to the Italian prime minister. It's a manipulated video, constructed from an old speech she gave on national policies for the elderly, poised to reignite the conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia, two countries whose relations are marked by a long history of wars, territorial rivalries, and fragile alliances.
The episode was denounced by Yemane Meskel, spokesperson for the Eritrean government, in a message published on X. The target was members and supporters of the Prosperity Party , the political group in power in Ethiopia, accused of systematically fabricating false news to discredit their bitter enemy and neighbor.
The video, released by the "Oromia Voice" account, shows Meloni apparently issuing a stern warning to Eritrea. "If Eritrea doesn't stop its actions, Italy may impose sanctions against it," the English version of the video reads. References to the Ethiopian people's desire to build a future of development follow, along with a call to Asmara to choose peace before it's too late.
Diplomatic and military tensions between the two countries have escalated again in recent weeks, fueling fears of a full-scale conflict in the Horn of Africa. Relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea have been marked by the war fought between 1998 and 2000, following Eritrean independence in 1993, and by nearly two decades of hostility. A turning point came in 2018, when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki initiated a process of reconciliation, culminating in the reopening of diplomatic relations.
That agreement had represented one of the major political successes of Abiy Ahmed, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. However, the subsequent war in Tigray , which broke out in 2020, had once again altered the regional balance. At that stage, Eritrean forces had fought alongside the Ethiopian federal army against the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). The Pretoria Agreement of November 2022 had ended the main hostilities between Addis Ababa and the Tigray authorities, but had not included Eritrea among its signatories. Since then, disagreements over the security of Ethiopia's northern regions and the future regional structure have progressively distanced the two governments.
Another point of contention concerns access to the Red Sea . Ethiopia, left landlocked since Eritrean independence, considers stable access to the sea a strategic priority. For Asmara, however, Ethiopia's claims represent a potential threat to its sovereignty.
It is in this context that the false statement attributed to Meloni would go beyond the simple manipulation of audiovisual content. Attributing an ultimatum against Eritrea to the Italian Prime Minister has the stated goal of insinuating international support for Ethiopia's position. The threat of sanctions, especially when presented as emanating from a European country, could contribute to reinforcing the perception of Asmara's diplomatic isolation.
