ALBAWABA- Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed declared on Tuesday that Ethiopia’s access to the Red Sea is an “inevitable and existential” necessity, stressing that his country will not remain landlocked indefinitely.
In remarks before parliament, Abiy said Ethiopia does not seek war but is “fully capable of decisive action if forced,” warning Eritrea against any move that could trigger a military confrontation.
Amid rising tensions between the two Horn of Africa neighbors, Abiy revealed that he has requested mediation from the United States and the European Union to secure a “peaceful and lasting solution” guaranteeing Ethiopia maritime access. “We have no intention of going to war with Eritrea,” he said. “On the contrary, we are convinced that this issue can be resolved peacefully. But our right to access ports is non-negotiable.”
The comments come as Asmara accuses Addis Ababa of eyeing Eritrea’s strategic port of Assab, which Ethiopia lost when Eritrea gained independence in 1993, leaving it without direct access to the sea.
Abiy, who normalized ties with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki in a 2018 peace accord that earned him the Nobel Peace Prize, said he remains open to “going to Asmara to open a new page in bilateral relations,” insisting that “peace remains Ethiopia’s preferred option.”
However, relations between the two countries have sharply deteriorated since 2023, following the Tigray war, during which Eritrean troops fought alongside Ethiopian forces. Tensions flared again in recent months after Addis Ababa accused Eritrea of funding and arming militias in Ethiopia’s Amhara region, allegations Asmara dismissed as “false and provocative.”
Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous nation with over 130 million people, has long viewed its lack of sea access as a major strategic vulnerability. Analysts warn that Abiy’s renewed push for Red Sea access, whether through diplomacy or force, risks reigniting a devastating regional conflict reminiscent of the 1998–2000 border war that killed tens of thousands.
