Ethiopia’s ruling Prosperity Party (PP) has doubled down on its controversial push to secure direct access to the Red Sea, declaring the issue a “natural and historical right” that has now advanced “beyond a single phase” toward becoming an international agenda. The declaration, made at the close of the party’s August 5–8 council meeting, underscores Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s increasingly assertive maritime ambitions, which have rattled neighbors and heightened tensions across the Horn of Africa.
For months, Abiy has argued that a nation of more than 120 million people “cannot remain landlocked,” describing sea access as both a matter of “survival” and a historical entitlement lost after Eritrea’s independence in 1993. While the government has not outlined a concrete plan, its rhetoric has fueled speculation over whether Addis Ababa might seek territorial arrangements, port leases, or—more controversially—forceful measures to secure its objectives.
Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki has rejected these claims outright, calling them provocative and warning against any attempt to redraw regional borders. The two countries, once foes during the 1998–2000 border war, briefly enjoyed a thaw after the 2018 peace deal, but relations have since cooled, with mutual mistrust resurfacing.
In its statement, the PP also defended Ethiopia’s approach to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), saying it has taken “appropriate and legal action” to strengthen the country’s regional standing. While Addis Ababa hails the GERD as vital for economic growth and energy independence, Egypt and Sudan see it as a serious threat to their water security.
The ruling party further claimed it has fortified Ethiopia’s political and economic resilience, undermined “traitors” accused of aligning with “historical enemies,” and pledged continued support for armed groups willing to lay down their weapons—while promising a harder line against those that persist in rebellion.
The remarks come as Ethiopia faces mounting internal challenges, including a grinding standoff with Fano militia forces in Amhara, a fragile post-war recovery in Tigray, and a shifting regional security landscape that could redefine the Horn’s balance of power.
