Mekelle/Tel Aviv/Nairobi/Pretoria/London
Eritrea Rejects External Mediation on Port Access
Eritrea has ruled out external mediation regarding the use of its ports, framing the matter as a strictly commercial issue.
Speaking at the ministerial meeting of Landlocked Developing Countries in New York, Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh said that while Asmara is open to discussing commercial and logistical use of its ports with selected partners, it considers third-party involvement politically unacceptable.
“The question of port access is commercial, not political or military,” Saleh stated. He emphasized that Eritrea will not permit foreign military or naval bases on its territory.
The minister added that Eritrea remains committed to establishing fair and equal arrangements with partners who seek to use its port facilities for trade and logistics.
Eritrea’s position comes amid increasing regional interest in Red Sea and Horn of Africa ports, which are seen as strategically significant for trade routes connecting Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
