Sea

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Sunday made clear that Ethiopia’s push for access to the sea remains central to his government’s vision for the country’s future, saying the nation’s landlocked position is a major brake on economic growth and regional stability. Speaking in a wide-ranging interview with the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation, Abiy argued that the Horn of Africa cannot enjoy durable peace while Ethiopia remains cut off from the coast. He cast the absence of a sovereign port as a…

Ukraine widened its campaign against Russia’s energy infrastructure overnight, hitting several oil sites including two refineries in the Samara region and a Baltic Sea port used to ship petroleum products, according to Russian regional governors and a Ukrainian military official. In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces have intensified strikes on Russian oil depots and refineries, targets seen as vital contributors to Moscow’s war financing. Some of those attacks have reached facilities located thousands of kilometres from the…

By Abdulkarim AbdulleSaturday April 18, 2026 A recent article from Ethiopia’s Institute of Foreign Affairs (IFA) on Baidoa has drawn a sharp rebuttal, with critics saying it distorts events on the ground and misreads Somalia’s constitutional security structure. Although the original piece attempted to place developments in South West State within a wider regional security debate, its argument leaned on conjecture, selective history, and a flawed reading of the Federal Government of Somalia’s responsibilities. The central…

Thursday April 16, 2026 A tense standoff at one of the world’s most vital shipping corridors escalated sharply after weekend peace talks in Islamabad between the United States and Iran ended without an agreement, prompting Washington to announce a blockade. A vessel at the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of Oman’s Musandam province on April 12, 2026. / Reuters Tehran quickly responded with its own threat, warning that if the US naval blockade persists, Iran could move to choke trade routes through the Red Sea as well as the…

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran escalated its standoff with Washington on Wednesday, warning that it could sever commercial shipping through the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman if the United States keeps up its naval blockade of Iranian ports. In a statement carried on Iranian state television, the head of Iran’s military central command said the U.S. campaign to stop Iranian commercial vessels and oil tankers could unravel the fragile ceasefire now in place. Ali Abdollahi, a senior figure in the Iranian military command,…

The US military said it had brought Iran’s seaborne trade to a standstill, even as President Donald Trump signaled that diplomacy with Tehran could restart as soon as this week to try to end the war. Mr Trump said US and Iranian officials could be back at the table in Pakistan within the next two days, while Vice President JD Vance, who led weekend negotiations that failed to produce a breakthrough, said he remained encouraged by the current state of play. "I think you're going to be watching an amazing two days ahead," Mr…

Tuesday April 14, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — North Western State of Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday brought together senior government institutions for the latest quarterly meeting of the Maritime Security Coordination Mechanism, as officials moved to sharpen defenses against mounting risks along the country’s coastline. Held in Hargeisa, the meeting examined the changing security picture in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, where developments in regional and international affairs continue to shape some of the…

A deadly Easter weekend crossing in the central Mediterranean left two migrants dead and dozens more feared missing after a boat traveling from Libya toward Europe ran into trouble near the Italian coast. Two merchant vessels recovered the bodies of two migrants and rescued 32 survivors, according to rescue charities Mediterranea Saving Humans and Sea-Watch. Citing accounts from those pulled from the water, the groups said 71 other people were lost at sea. The victims were transferred to an Italian coast guard patrol boat…

Tuesday March 31, 2026 Türkiye’s drilling fleet is moving into a busier phase, with new exploration and production campaigns lined up for the Black Sea and Somalia in April as Ankara steps up efforts to tap domestic and overseas hydrocarbon resources. Türkiye's drilling ships are seen at the Filyos Port, northern Türkiye, March 15, 2026. (AA Photo) Over the past decade, the country has invested heavily in an offshore energy armada designed to trim its dependence on imported fuel by finding more oil and natural gas at…

A sudden policy shift from Washington is sending ripples through global energy markets, as the Trump administration moves to counter surging oil prices amid escalating conflict with Iran. The United States on Friday issued a 30-day waiver allowing the purchase of Iranian oil at sea, a step officials say is aimed at easing supply pressures driven by nearly three weeks of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the measure could release roughly 140 million barrels of oil into global…