Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has renewed his demand for access to the Red Sea, saying Ethiopia will work to secure a port as he begins another five-year term.

Speaking in Parliament during his swearing-in, Abiy said Ethiopia’s access to the sea was critical to its civilisation. He also said the country would pursue an outlet to the Red Sea “based on the principle of give and take”.

The remarks come as Ethiopia’s relations with several neighbouring countries face increasing strain. Egypt, Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia met in New Alamein and called for cooperation on regional issues, while asserting that responsibility for governing the Red Sea belongs exclusively to its coastal states.

The four countries also rejected actions that could affect Egypt and Sudan’s use of Nile waters. The position comes against the backdrop of the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which has placed further pressure on relations between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan.

Ethiopia defends its interests

The Ethiopian Foreign Ministry said discussions concerning the Red Sea should take account of Ethiopia’s “legitimate interests and enduring connection” to the waterway.

Ethiopia lost direct access to the Red Sea in 1993, after Eritrea, formerly a region of Ethiopia, became independent. The country is now seeking a route to the sea, but the available information does not specify the location, terms or mechanism of any possible port arrangement.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who attended the New Alamein meeting, congratulated Abiy on his re-election. In a message on X, Mohamud said he looked forward to working with Abiy to strengthen Somalia-Ethiopia relations and advance peace, stability and shared prosperity for their peoples and the Horn of Africa.

Mohamud had previously said Somalia did not object to Ethiopia obtaining Red Sea access through Somali territory, but that any such arrangement would require official negotiations between the two countries. There is no indication that formal negotiations have begun.

Wider regional tensions

The Red Sea dispute is unfolding alongside renewed fighting in Tigray, a northern Ethiopian region. Addis Ababa has accused Eritrea, Egypt and Sudan of supporting opposition forces in Tigray, although those allegations have not been independently verified.

Eritrea, meanwhile, has accused Ethiopia of seeking access to the sea through Eritrean territory. That allegation is also attributed to the Eritrean government and has not been independently verified.

Abiy’s renewed call places Ethiopia’s strategic and economic interests against the stated position of four countries bordering the Red Sea. The countries’ meeting in New Alamein involved four of the five states identified as bordering the waterway.