Ethiopian PM Abiy Demands Red Sea Access as Regional Tensions Rise
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has renewed his call for access to the Red Sea.
Somali President Hasan Sheikh Mahmoud (left) met with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (right) in the capital, Addis Ababa, as part of his working visit to Ethiopia.
Photo by Anadolu Images.
E
thiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has renewed his call for access to the Red Sea, intensifying a dispute with neighbouring countries as renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia raises concerns about wider regional instability.
Abiy made the demand on Monday as he was sworn in for another five-year term, insisting that Ethiopia, despite being landlocked, must secure an outlet to the sea.
Speaking to parliament, Abiy said his government would work to obtain a port on the Red Sea, describing maritime access as critical to Ethiopia’s future and “civilisation.”
“Based on the principle of give and take, we will work diligently to ensure that Ethiopia has an outlet to the sea,” Abiy said.
Ethiopia lost direct access to the Red Sea in 1993 when Eritrea, previously part of Ethiopia, became independent. Since then, Addis Ababa has depended on neighbouring countries and regional ports for much of its maritime trade.
The renewed demand comes at a particularly sensitive moment for the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia’s relations with several neighbouring countries have deteriorated in recent months, while fighting has again intensified in the northern Tigray region.
Addis Ababa has accused Eritrea, Egypt and Sudan of supporting opposition forces in Tigray. The renewed conflict has raised concerns that Ethiopia’s internal fighting could become entangled with longstanding regional rivalries.
Eritrea, meanwhile, has accused Ethiopia of seeking access to the Red Sea through Eritrean territory, highlighting the sensitivity surrounding Abiy’s maritime ambitions.
Neighbours reject exclusive Ethiopian claim to Red Sea
The dispute over maritime access has unfolded alongside a broader disagreement over who should determine the future of the Red Sea and how regional states should protect their interests.
Four of the five African countries bordering the Red Sea — Egypt, Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia — met on Sunday in New Alamein, Egypt, where their leaders called for greater cooperation on regional issues.
In a joint position, they said governance of the Red Sea was the exclusive responsibility of its coastal states. They also rejected actions that could affect Egypt and Sudan’s use of Nile waters.
The statement came against the backdrop of another long-running dispute involving Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Nile. Egypt and Sudan have repeatedly raised concerns about the project and its potential effects on their water supplies.
Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry responded on Monday by saying that discussions over the Red Sea should take into account what it described as the country’s “legitimate interests and enduring connection” to the body of water.
The statement underscored the gap between Addis Ababa’s position and that of its coastal neighbours. While Ethiopia argues that its economic and strategic interests require reliable access to the Red Sea, the coastal states maintain that they retain primary authority over the waters and their shores.
Somalia has taken a somewhat different position. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who attended the Egyptian summit, congratulated Abiy on his renewed mandate and expressed a desire to strengthen relations between the two countries.
Mohamud had previously told Al Jazeera that Somalia did not object to Ethiopia obtaining access to the Red Sea through Somali territory. However, he stressed that any such arrangement would have to be formally negotiated between the two countries.
A possible area for bilateral negotiations
His comments suggest that maritime access remains a possible area for bilateral negotiations, even as the broader regional dispute becomes increasingly sensitive.
The issue is unfolding as Ethiopia faces renewed conflict in Tigray. Ethiopian federal and allied forces have entered the regional capital, Mekelle, as fighting between government forces and opposition groups has escalated.
The conflict has added another layer of uncertainty to Ethiopia’s relations with its neighbours, particularly Eritrea, which shares a border with Tigray.
Abiy’s renewed push for Red Sea access therefore comes at a time when Ethiopia is seeking to address both its economic dependence on foreign ports and growing security challenges across the Horn of Africa.
Regional leaders have continued to call for dialogue and cooperation, while Addis Ababa insists that Ethiopia’s interests must be taken into account in discussions over the Red Sea.
The coming months could determine whether Ethiopia’s demand develops into negotiated port arrangements with neighboring coastal states or contributes to further tensions in an already volatile region.
(Source: Aljazeera English)
