France supports Ethiopia’s quest for sea access through discussion

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA — French President Emmanuel Macron said his country supports Ethiopia’s quest for access to the sea through discussion and respecting international laws and neighboring countries.

Macron spoke on Saturday after a one-day visit to Addis Ababa, where he held bilateral talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
 
During a news conference, Macron welcomed the Ankara Declaration reached by the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Federal Republic of Somalia on Dec. 11.

In the declaration, brokered by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, "the leaders of Somalia and Ethiopia reaffirmed their respect and commitment to one another’s sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity, as well as the principles enshrined in international law, the Charter of the United Nations and the Constitutive Act of the African Union."

The two sides also agreed to start "technical negotiations" by February on details of Ethiopia's sea access, and that those negotiations would be facilitated by Turkey and be "concluded and signed" within four months.

The breakthrough came after an almost yearlong dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia that beganon  Jan. 1 when Somaliland’s former president, Muse Bihi Abdi, and Ethiopia’s Abiy signed a memorandum of understanding to lease 20 kilometers of Somaliland seafront to Ethiopia for 50 years, in return for diplomatic recognition.

The Somali government rejected the deal and accused Ethiopia of a "blatant violation" of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

On Saturday, President Macron expressed his readiness to support Ethiopia's legitimate quest for sea access.

He said France is interested in playing its part in facilitating ways in which sea access can be achieved responsibly through talks, in a way that recognizes international laws and respects neighboring countries.

Abiy said the two leaders have thoroughly discussed his country's pursuit of peaceful access to the Red Sea. He said the French president accepted Ethiopia's request for support in its quest for sea access through international law, peacefully and diplomatically.

"The ties between our two nations continue to be strengthened and I look forward to our discussions during his stay in Ethiopia," Abiy said of Macron in a post on X.

Macron also touched on a domestic issue in Ethiopia: the implementation of the Pretoria agreement signed in November 2022 by Ethiopia’s federal government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front that ended a deadly two-year war.

Macron said France is keen to support those affected by the conflict and would like to see the rule of law upheld through the transitional justice process.

Abiy and Macron also toured Ethiopia’s newly renovated National Palace in Addis Ababa. The former home of emperor Haile Selassie was restored with the help of 25 million euros provided by the French Development Agency. The Ethiopian government plans to open it to the public as a museum.

Macron said that French architects and other professionals have also participated in the renovation process.

According to Macron, France also provides funding and technical support for ongoing renovation at the Rock-Hewn Churches at Lalibela in the Amhara region. The site was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 1978.

It’s the second time Macron has visited Ethiopia in six years.

Before traveling to Ethiopia, Macron visited the cyclone-hit Indian Ocean island of Mayotte, where residents demanded more support in light of the cyclone that devastated the island and claimed dozens of lives.

Macron also stopped by Djibouti, which hosts the largest French military base in the continent, where he dined with his troops.

After meeting with President Ismail Omar Guelleh, Macron described relations with Djibouti as a solid, deep-rooted, and forward-looking partnership.