Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said his government will secure access to the sea through peaceful engagement with neighbours and on the basis of what he described as a principle of “give and take” and mutual benefits.
Addressing the joint session of parliament during the establishment of a new government on Monday, Ahmed placed Ethiopia’s long-running pursuit of maritime access near the centre of his foreign-policy agenda.
“Since Ethiopian civilization cannot be realized without a sea outlet, we will work diligently on the principle of give-and-take to ensure Ethiopia has an entry and exit port,” Ahmed said.
Ethiopia, he argued, sits in a region where geography provides both opportunity and vulnerability, and must build sufficient economic, political and military capacity to determine its own future rather than have decisions imposed on it by stronger actors.
The prime minister said Ethiopia’s loss of sea access and reduction in its regional influences were not simply the result of domestic choices, but were shaped by broader geopolitical developments.
“When we possessed strength, we decided our own affairs; when we were weakened, others made decisions for us,” he said.
He presented the next five years as a period in which Ethiopia must consolidate domestic reforms while preparing for an increasingly volatile geopolitical environment.
Ahmed also pledged to develop what he described as a modern, innovative and highly prepared defence and security establishment capable of deterring attacks before they occur and prevailing if the country is confronted.
He specifically referred to strengthening Ethiopia’s air superiority in the region as part of the effort to improve its defensive capabilities.
Ahmed also pledged to make constitutional amendments based on the outcomes of the recently concluded Ethiopian National Dialogue.
He said the government would also seek greater cooperation with opposition political parties and called on armed groups operating in the country to abandon violence and return to peaceful political engagement.
MG/as/APA