ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Ethiopia has renewed a full-scale diplomatic campaign for access to the Red Sea, with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed reaffirming that the country’s decades-long landlocked status is a “glaring injustice” that requires swift resolution, according to the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) .
In a televised interview with the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation, ENA reports, Mr. Abiy said the national grievance over lost maritime access, following Eritrea’s 1993 independence, remains a pressing national concern.
“We regret the way we lost a port,” he declared, adding: “Against the international frameworks on world landlocked countries, glaring injustices have been committed against Ethiopia; and this issue requires swift solution” .
The prime minister emphasized that this pursuit is grounded in legal norms and peaceful diplomacy.
“Ethiopia will continue to strengthen efforts for sea access legally and through dialogue,” ENA quoted him, reinforcing his rejection of militaristic approaches .
The issue of maritime access has gained added momentum in recent months. Garowe Online reports that Mr. Abiy told EBC the agenda “is not a recent one” and that with “a growing economy of 120 million people and surrounded by waters—Ethiopia deserves access to the sea peacefully” .
The stance has won international backing. Horn Observer highlighted U.S. Ambassador Ervin Massinga’s endorsement of Ethiopia’s diplomatic posture, stating Washington is “fully committed” to supporting legal and peaceful avenues for maritime access .
Meanwhile, the prime minister has earlier reiterated Ethiopia’s peaceful intent during parliamentary proceedings and assured regional partners that the country would not pursue a war—particularly with Eritrea—over access .
Ethiopia’s renewed maritime strategy intersects with broader regional negotiations, especially with Somaliland and Somalia, where recent agreements brokered in Ankara have established technical talks to facilitate Ethiopian access under Somali sovereignty .
However, analysts caution that these efforts may inflame tensions with Eritrea and Egypt, especially over rival claims and geopolitical stakes in the Red Sea corridor .
As Ethiopia enters a new growth phase, the maritime access agenda represents both a strategic economic objective and a political tool. Whether its peaceful diplomacy yields a binding agreement—and reshapes the country’s decades-long isolation—remains closely watched in the Horn of Africa and beyond.
