Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy demands access to Red Sea as tensions with neighbors rise | Abiy Ahmed News

Neighboring countries say coastal states must govern the Red Sea as fighting intensifies in northern Ethiopia.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has insisted his landlocked country must have access to the Red Sea, even as neighboring countries have said responsibility for the sea lies with states along its coasts.

Abiy made the request as he was sworn in for a new five-year term on Monday.

Repeating his previous assertions, Abiy said in a speech to Parliament that the country would work to secure a port on the Red Sea, saying such access was essential for Ethiopian “civilization”.

“Based on the principle of give and take, we will work diligently to ensure that Ethiopia has an outlet to the sea,” he said.

Ethiopia lost direct access to the Red Sea in 1993 after Eritrea, once a region of Ethiopia, became independent.

Abiy’s call comes as Ethiopia’s relations with its neighbors have deteriorated in recent months, with Addis Ababa accusing Eritrea, Egypt and Sudan of supporting opposition forces in Tigray following a resurgence of fighting against Abiy’s government in the northern region.

For its part, Eritrea accuses Ethiopia of seeking access to the sea through its territory. Another dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Nile has strained relations with Egypt and Sudan, which rely on the river for their water.

Four of the five countries bordering the Red Sea – Egypt, Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia – met in Egypt’s New Alamein on Sunday and called for cooperation on regional issues.

They said governance of the Red Sea was the exclusive responsibility of coastal states and rejected any action that could affect the use of the Nile waters by Egypt and Sudan.

The next day, Ethiopia’s foreign ministry said discussions on the Red Sea must take into account the country’s “legitimate interests and enduring connection” with the body of water.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who attended the Egyptian summit, congratulated Abiy on his re-election.

“I look forward to working closely to strengthen relations between Somalia and Ethiopia and advance peace, stability and shared prosperity for our people and the Horn of Africa,” he said in an article on X.

Mohamud previously told Al Jazeera that Somalia did not object to Ethiopia accessing the Red Sea through Somali territory, but added that the two countries should negotiate formally.

Evariste Ndayishimiye, the president of Burundi, also wished Abiy “great success during his renewed mandate.” Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, also sent a congratulatory message.