Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has renewed his argument that access to the sea is essential to his country's future. Speaking at the 12th Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa in Bahir Dar on October 23, Abiy said Ethiopia's population of more than 130 million made access to the sea an existential concern. He argued that a country whose international trade must pass through other states faces long-term questions about security, sovereignty and the opportunities available to future generations.
Abiy added that his government would continue to persuade through dialogue and mutual benefit, describing reliable transport corridors as an issue shared by countries across Africa. The prime minister also connected maritime access to wider regional economic cooperation, arguing that efficient corridors could link producers to markets, help small traders enter the formal economy and support trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Abiy's message presented the issue as more than a national ambition; Ethiopia, he suggested, needs dependable routes to international markets, while neighbouring countries could benefit from the trade and infrastructure associated with those routes. However, reactions to his latest remarks show that the issue remains deeply contested, with some critics questioning whether Ethiopia's stated need for access could eventually become a challenge to the sovereignty of neighbouring coastal states.
The reaction to Abiy's speech on social media was far from uniformly supportive, with several users challenging the distinction between obtaining commercial access to a port and seeking sovereign control over coastal territory. Others argued that Ethiopia's population and economic needs could not, by themselves, justify demands that would compromise another country's territorial integrity.
International law recognises the position of landlocked countries, with Part X of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea providing for access to and from the sea and freedom of transit through other states. However, Article 125 says the terms and arrangements must be agreed between landlocked and transit states, and that transit states retain sovereignty over their territory and may protect their legitimate interests.
The regional atmosphere makes those distinctions particularly important, with Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan issuing a joint declaration on October 4 emphasising the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states and asserting that governance of the Red Sea is the responsibility of the countries bordering it. The statement came amid renewed regional concern over Ethiopia's push for a maritime outlet.
Abiy has repeatedly presented his government's approach as one based on negotiation rather than war, referring to dialogue and mutual benefit in his latest speech. However, regional concerns have not disappeared simply because the government says it prefers a negotiated solution, and the comments shared online reveal a communication problem, with critics interpreting Ethiopia's call for sea access as a potential threat to neighbouring countries.
Key points
- Ethiopia's need for reliable access to the sea is a genuine economic and strategic concern.
- The challenge is to achieve this without compromising the sovereignty of neighbouring coastal states.
- International law provides for access to the sea for landlocked countries, but the terms and arrangements must be agreed between landlocked and transit states.
