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Ethiopia again demands access to the Red Sea as tensions with neighbors escalate
Abiy said Ethiopia needs a port as neighbors warned that Red Sea governance remains the responsibility of coastal states.
On Monday, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed reiterated that landlocked Ethiopia must secure Red Sea access, declaring it critical to the nation's "civilization" and pledging to work toward obtaining a port.
Ethiopia lost direct Red Sea access in 1993 following Eritrea's independence. Recently, relations deteriorated as Eritrea accused Ethiopia of seeking sea access through its territory, while Ethiopia alleges Eritrea supports rebels with backing from Egypt and Sudan.
Four of the five Red Sea border nations—Egypt, Eritrea, Sudan, and Somalia—met in New Alamein on Sunday and asserted that governance of the Red Sea is the "exclusive responsibility of its coastal states."
Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry stated Monday that geographic realities, including the Blue Nile's origin and proximity to the sea, must be considered. The United Nations and African Union expressed concern over rising tensions, calling for a peaceful resolution.
Tigray faces renewed conflict with separatist rebels, while a separate dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam strains regional relations. Researchers at Ghent University estimated 500,000 civilians died during the previous two-year war, raising humanitarian concerns.