Djibouti Rejects Ethiopia’s Plea for Direct Sea Access, Joining Eritrea and Somalia

Djibouti, in alignment with Eritrea and Somalia, has firmly rejected an appeal from Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, seeking direct access to a Red Sea port. This request, part of Ethiopia’s strategic objectives as a landlocked nation, has drawn significant attention due to its potential implications on one of the world’s busiest shipping routes.

Alexis Mohamed, a senior adviser to Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh, emphasized the strong and friendly historical relations between Djibouti and Ethiopia. However, he made it clear that Djibouti, as a sovereign country, holds the integrity of its territory as sacrosanct.

Mohamed stated, “Our territorial integrity is not questionable, neither today nor tomorrow.”

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has underscored sea access as a crucial strategic goal for Ethiopia.

He warned that failure to secure this access could potentially lead to future conflicts.

In a televised address, Abiy proposed diplomatic discussions with neighboring countries, suggesting a reciprocal arrangement where they could have shares in the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam in exchange for stakes in their respective ports.

He also invoked the historical perspective of Ras Alula Abanega, an Abyssinian warrior from the nineteenth century, who regarded the Red Sea as Ethiopia’s “natural boundary.”

Eritrea responded earlier this week, describing Abiy’s comments as “excessive” and expressing bewilderment among concerned observers.

Somalia’s State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Omar, reinforced his country’s unwavering commitment to sovereignty and territorial integrity, emphasizing that these aspects are non-negotiable.

Abiy’s pursuit of direct sea access comes at a time when he is grappling with domestic dissent, particularly in the northern Amhara region, where militia members are resisting efforts to integrate them into the national army.

His administration is also engaged in discussions to restructure Ethiopia’s debt, as the country’s finances have been severely impacted by the global pandemic and a two-year civil war involving rebels from the Tigray region.

The rejection of Ethiopia’s appeal by Djibouti, Eritrea, and Somalia adds to the complexity of the regional dynamics, raising questions about the future of Ethiopia’s strategic goals and the potential for diplomatic solutions to secure access to the Red Sea.