Addis-Ababa (Caasimada Online) – Ethiopia is mounting a diplomatic offensive to portray its quest for sea access as a peaceful economic necessity, claiming it is gaining international support—even as it faces fierce condemnation from Somalia over a controversial port deal with the breakaway region of Somaliland that has rocked the Horn of Africa.

In a coordinated message, senior Ethiopian officials on Friday stressed that securing a sea outlet is a non-negotiable, “existential” issue for the continent’s second-most populous nation, but one they intend to pursue through cooperation and mutual benefit.

“Getting access to the sea is crucial for Ethiopia as it is a nation with a large population and a rapidly growing economy,” said Ambassador Dina Mufti, a senior lawmaker on Ethiopia’s foreign relations committee, in a statement to the state-run Ethiopian News Agency (ENA).

He insisted Addis Ababa is “diligently working to secure a sea outlet peacefully and reciprocally.”

Jafar Bedru, who heads the government-aligned Institute of Foreign Affairs, reinforced this position, describing the policy as “based on the principle of shared interest and common development aspirations, not to harm others.”

The statements appear aimed at calming regional tensions that have soared since the start of the year.

Controversial MoU

The diplomatic storm was triggered on January 1, 2024, when Ethiopia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Somaliland.

The agreement grants Ethiopia a 50-year lease on a 20-kilometre (12.4-mile) stretch of coastline to build a naval base and commercial port facilities. In a move that would upend decades of regional policy, Ethiopia reportedly offered to become the first nation to recognize Somaliland’s independence formally.

Somaliland has functioned as a de facto sovereign state since declaring its autonomy from Somalia in 1991 following a brutal civil war, but it has never achieved international recognition.

The deal prompted a furious reaction from Mogadishu, which views Somaliland as an integral part of its sovereign territory, as outlined in its federal constitution. The Somali government has labeled the MoU an “act of aggression” and a violation of international law, recalling its ambassador from Addis Ababa and vowing to oppose the agreement by “all legal means.”

Ethiopia’s pursuit of a port is rooted in deep economic and strategic vulnerabilities. The nation, with over 120 million people, became the world’s most populous landlocked country after its northern region, Eritrea, gained independence in 1993, taking the entire Red Sea coastline with it.

Since then, Ethiopia has been overwhelmingly dependent on the port of its tiny neighbor, Djibouti, for over 95% of its maritime trade. This reliance creates a significant bottleneck for its rapidly expanding economy and a strategic liability.

The issue was thrust into the spotlight in late 2023 when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, gave a televised address in which he argued that sea access was an “existential” question linked to Ethiopia’s historical rights, warning it could lead to conflict if unresolved.

Diplomatic push  

The current diplomatic messaging marks a shift in tone, softening the earlier militaristic rhetoric to emphasize economic necessity.

“Following the economic growth of the country, export and import trade of the nation has increased significantly,” Ambassador Mufti argued, framing the need for diverse port access as a logical consequence of development.

The Institute of Foreign Affairs, under Jafar Bedru, is now tasked with developing formal strategies to advance the sea-access agenda, signaling it as a core long-term objective of the Ethiopian state.

However, despite Ambassador Mufti’s claim that the policy is “gaining acceptance by the international community,” the Somaliland deal has been met with widespread concern.

Major regional and international bodies, including the Arab League, the African Union, the United States, and the European Union, have released statements reaffirming their support for Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Most have urged dialogue and de-escalation to prevent further destabilization of the already volatile Horn of Africa.

By attempting to bypass Mogadishu and deal directly with a breakaway region, Ethiopia has alienated a key neighbor and found itself diplomatically isolated on the issue, turning its quest for economic security into a new and perilous regional flashpoint.