Mekelle/Tel Aviv/Nairobi/Pretoria/London
Ethiopia and the Red Sea: Historical Sovereignty and the Legal Imperative of Restored Access
Ethiopia has historically been a Red Sea oriented and maritime civilization, with ancient and well-established legal and historical claims to sovereign access to the sea. Despite these deep roots, Ethiopia has faced repeated efforts particularly during the colonial and post-colonial periods to sever its Red Sea access through legal and political injustices. These attempts to render Ethiopia landlocked have had implications not only for the country itself but also for regional and international peace and security. Therefore, Ethiopia’s pursuit to restore its rightful sovereign access to the Red Sea remains imperative from historical, legal, economic, and geopolitical perspectives.
Historical sovereignty during the Axumite and Medieval times Northern Ethiopia, historically known by local communities as “Medri Bahri” (land of the sea), encompassed territories adjacent to the Red Sea, which were long under Ethiopian control. Central to this was Adulis, a major strategic port firmly within Ethiopia’s sphere of influence during the Axumite era. Adulis served as a vital commercial hub, linking Ethiopia and Africa more broadly to global trade networks, making the Red Sea coast essential to Axum’s economic strength and security. Adulis was best known as the main port of the Kingdom of Aksum, one of the great ancient powers of the Horn of Africa.
colonial dismemberment of Ethiopian territory and instead laid the groundwork for future conflict. By declining to recognize Eritrea as an integral part of Ethiopia prior to 1890, the arrangement left unresolved the core legal and historical injustice at the heart of the dispute. In light of these factors, Ethiopia, as the parent state, retains a compelling claim to reasonable access to the Red Sea. With the exception of a relatively brief period of Italian occupation, Ethiopia historically maintained access to the Red Sea, and principles of historical justice demand the correction of the profound injustices inflicted during the colonial, post-colonial, and more recent periods. Beyond historical considerations, Ethiopia’s access is also dictated by vital economic and security imperatives. Naval militarization, the establishment of foreign military bases, and the threat of piracy along this critical international waterway directly affect Ethiopia’s national interests.
Regrettably, there has been little indication of a genuine willingness on the part of President Isaias Afwerki’s government to pursue constructive cooperation with Ethiopia. Instead, policies of destabilization have prevailed, driven by the perception that a strong and economically viable Ethiopia poses a strategic threat. Yet Eritrea bears moral and legal responsibilities under the international principle of good neighborliness to take into account the vital interests of Ethiopia. This obligation is heightened by the historical reality that Eritrean territory was fashioned out of lands that had long formed part of the Ethiopian state. Accordingly, Eritrea has both a moral and legal duty to accommodate Ethiopia’s need for sovereign access to the Red Sea.
Without addressing this fundamental issue, lasting peace and genuine cooperation between the two countries will remain elusive. Ethiopia’s landlocked condition is neither a natural destiny nor an undisputable fact. Geography will never remain a destiny but one that can be bended through time and factors. If not, it is a source of regional instability and a significant barrier to sustainable development. For Ethiopia, the restoration of sovereign access to the Red Sea is not a matter of preference but a national imperative essential to long-term peace and prosperity. The way forward therefore requires the principled and resolute correction of these longstanding injustices.
Ambassador Nebiyu Tedla is Director General of Public Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Source፡POA
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