Why did Ethiopia seek to annex Eritrea after Italian colonial rule ended?

Following the end of Italian colonial rule in 1941, landlocked Ethiopia sought to annex Eritrea primarily to gain access to the sea. Ethiopia coveted Eritrea’s two major seaports, which were essential for its international trade.12

To achieve this, the Ethiopian government launched a diplomatic campaign, claiming that Eritrea had historically been part of its domain. They mobilized support within Eritrea by forming the Unionist Party in 1946, which was financed and guided from Addis Ababa and leveraged religious ties among the Christian population.13

Ethiopia’s efforts were bolstered by an international commission that concluded Eritrea lacked the resources and national consciousness to sustain independence. Furthermore, the United States supported Ethiopia’s claim to secure a strategic communications base near Asmara. Under U.S. influence, the United Nations resolved to establish a federation between the two, which took effect in 1952.34