ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Saturday renewed his demand for maritime access, telling regional leaders at the ongoing African Union Summit that Ethiopia’s future depends on securing a direct route to the sea.
Calling the issue “existential” for the continent’s second-most populous nation, Abiy linked Ethiopia’s economic ambitions and stability in the wider Horn of Africa to a resolution of its landlocked status. “The security and stability of the Horn of Africa depend on Ethiopia gaining sea access,” he said.
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The remarks underscore Addis Ababa’s increasingly assertive foreign policy and come amid heightened tensions triggered by Ethiopia’s controversial memorandum of understanding with North Western State of Somalia in early 2024. The deal, which sought to grant Ethiopia a naval base and commercial port access in exchange for potential diplomatic recognition, drew sharp condemnation from Somalia’s federal government, which denounced the move as a violation of its sovereignty.
Abiy told the summit that his government favors a cooperative framework for shared port access, pitching it as the most sustainable path to long-term peace in a volatile corridor of East Africa. He argued that Ethiopia’s economic growth—and the needs of its approximately 130 million people—are constrained by geographic isolation.
Critics and neighboring states, however, have voiced concern that Ethiopia’s posture could foreshadow unilateral steps. The African Union and international mediators have repeatedly urged restraint and adherence to international law governing territorial integrity, warning that miscalculations could destabilize an already fragile region.
Abiy did not specify which coastal territories or partners his government is prioritizing in current talks. But his insistence on the link between maritime access and regional security suggests the question will rank among the summit’s most contentious agenda items.
The dispute has become a focal point of diplomacy in the Horn of Africa, testing the balance between national development goals and the bedrock principles of sovereignty and noninterference. While Ethiopia frames sea access as a collective security issue, its neighbors see risks in setting precedents that could ripple across borders and challenge existing arrangements.
For now, the path forward runs through negotiations premised on regional buy-in, a message echoed by mediators calling for dialogue to ease tensions. With the AU Summit as a backdrop, Abiy’s remarks signal that Addis Ababa intends to keep maritime access at the center of its foreign policy—and that the debate over how to achieve it will shape regional politics in the weeks ahead.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
