Adiss Ababa (Hornpost) Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has called on all parties willing to engage in dialogue to prepare themselves, asserting that “Ethiopia’s access to the sea is a necessity, not a choice.”
He stated that Ethiopia has been “praying” for access to the sea for the past five years and will continue to pursue a peaceful path to achieve this goal.
Abiy made these remarks on Tuesday during the launch ceremony of his new book, titled “The Philosophy of Unified Government”, where he gave a speech lasting nearly an hour.
“It is not acceptable for a country that has reached this level to remain stagnant and pass that stagnation on to the next generation,” he said.
“We do not believe that war or confrontation is necessary to achieve this. That is why we have been praying for five years,” he added.
His comments come at a time when there is growing concern and tension over Ethiopia’s aspirations to gain access to the sea — particularly since the country has been landlocked since Eritrea gained independence in 1993.
For the first time, Prime Minister Abiy used the possessive term “ours” when referring to the Red Sea coastline, signaling an escalated tone in Ethiopia’s maritime ambitions — even though he has consistently emphasized a peaceful approach.
However, the Eritrean government has repeatedly issued statements accusing Ethiopian officials of making “military threats,” raising fears in a region where relations between the two nations have long been fragile.
“Prepare for Dialogue”
In his speech, Abiy stated that all stakeholders — whether states or other entities — should prepare for talks.
“Ethiopia prioritizes peace. It is burdened by poverty and numerous challenges. But it is seeking a way to overcome them,” he said.
He continued “Knowing how real this matter is, we hope our brothers will prepare quickly so that dialogue can begin.”
Speaking explicitly about Ethiopia’s desire for sea access, Abiy emphasized that a peaceful solution is the preferred route.
Although he didn’t mention any specific country by name, his remarks appeared to be directed at Eritrea.
After Ethiopia and Eritrea resumed diplomatic relations following 20 years of complete estrangement, one of the expectations was that Ethiopia would use the port of Assab. It’s been reported that road construction toward that port began, and Ethiopia also began training a naval force — for the first time in decades.
However, relations between the two countries have deteriorated since Abiy Ahmed came to power, and their ties are now considered minimal.
Although Ethiopia still does not have an official sea access, the recent opening of a Naval Command Office shows that steps are being taken toward developing maritime capabilities.
Two years ago, Prime Minister Abiy declared that the issue of sea access was a matter of “existence or extinction,” sparking ongoing political tension in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea has repeatedly criticized such statements coming from Ethiopian leaders.
Abiy also referenced the construction of the Suez Canal as an example of visionary leadership:
“155 years ago, the courageous people who built that canal are now resting in peace, but every year the canal earns at least $10 billion,” he said.
“None of us are immortal. But those who leave behind a legacy and accomplish great things — their names will live forever, passed on from generation to generation.”
“We Must Eliminate the ‘We Can’t’ Mindset”
Abiy stressed the need to do away with the widespread belief that “we cannot” achieve such goals. He added that the biggest obstacle to Ethiopia’s development is:
“Our enemy’s agenda — to divide us by ethnicity, religion, gender… and the cure for that is unity.”
“When we talk about unification, our enemies panic — because they know from our ancient history what we are capable of when united,” he said.
“Today, young people who are afraid or hesitant to demand the return of the Red Sea — which belongs to them — are mentally threatened by fear itself,” he added.
“The idea that ‘we can’t’ — let me assure you, Ethiopia can,” he declared.
The Prime Minister also recently said that after completing the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the country will turn its focus to resolving another major issue — implying that sea access is next on the agenda.
Horn post Staff Reporter
this is the event that The Prime Minister is speaking in Addis Ababa.
