Landlocked Ambitions, Sovereign Borders: Navigating the Ethiopia–Eritrea Red Sea Crisis
Ethiopia’s pursuit of access to the Red Sea has become a major source of tension in the Horn of Africa. As a landlocked country, Ethiopia depends on neighboring states for access to seaports and international trade. Its desire to diversify trade routes and strengthen its economy is understandable. However, economic and strategic interests do not give a country the right to threaten another state’s sovereignty or seize its territory. Eritrea is an independent country with its own coastline and ports. It has the right to decide whether and under what conditions Ethiopia may use them. Ethiopia can negotiate for access to the Red Sea, but it cannot demand it through coercion or military force. Ethiopia’s Dependence on Foreign Ports Ethiopia relies heavily on Djibouti for international trade. The World Bank’s 2023 announcement on upgrading the Addis–Djibouti transport corridor states that more than 95 percent of Ethiopia’s import-export trade by volume passes through th...
