Ethiopia’s PM says Red Sea access vital, seeks peaceful solution respecting neighbors’ sovereignty

ADDIS ABABA - Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed still insists that his country will have access to the Red Sea as the Horn of Africa nation fights to solve its landlocked status, which has grounded it economically.

But the quest shall be completed through peaceful means without violation of international law and with full respect to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the nations that control thr Red Sea.

“Ethiopia does not have existence without its neighbors, and its neighbors do not have existence without Ethiopia,” PM Abiy said, stressing the importance of “mutual benefit” to resolve longstanding issues.

“We desire to sow good seeds. We want access to the sea based on the principle of mutual benefit, not by force. We want to achieve everything peacefully. We respect their sovereignty,” he said, adding that “Ethiopia is a sovereign country, and for this to be complete, our neighbors must respond positively for Ethiopia to get access to a sea.”

The access to the Red Sea, he told lawmakers, is fundamental, and the issue will not be left unchallenged. Ethiopians, he added, should start discussing the matter openly without burying their faces in the sand.

Addressing increasing concerns over potential conflict, especially with Eritrea, the Prime Minister dismissed these concerns, saying: “To those who raise the specter of war with Eritrea, it should be known that we do not desire any conflict on our part; they should also do the same.”

Nevertheless, he highlighted Ethiopia’s “capacity to defend itself” while insisting the focus remains on peace and shared growth, Addis Standard reports. “In the past seven years, we have not had a single conflict with neighboring countries.”

GAROWE ONLINE