Ethiopia’s Abiy demands access to Red Sea as tensions with neighbours rise
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has reiterated his demand for Ethiopia to secure direct access to the Red Sea, citing it as critical for the nation's development. This stance has increased regional tensions with neighboring countries like Egypt, Eritrea, and Sudan, who argue that Red Sea governance belongs exclusively to coastal states.
Why it matters
The dispute highlights growing geopolitical instability in the Horn of Africa, potentially threatening regional trade and diplomatic relations.
Neighbouring countries say coastal states must govern Red Sea as fighting escalates in northern Ethiopia.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed takes the oath of office for a new five-year term, at parliament in Addis Ababa [Handout/Ethiopian Prime Minister’s Office via Reuters] By Al Jazeera Staff , AFP and AP Published On 5 Oct 2026 5 Oct 2026 Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has insisted that his landlocked country must have access to the Red Sea, even as neighbouring countries have said responsibility for the sea rests with the states along its shores.
Abiy made the demand as he was sworn in for another five-year term on Monday.
Repeating previous assertions, Abiy said in a speech in Parliament that the country would work to secure a port on the Red Sea, saying that access was critical to Ethiopia’s “civilisation”.
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