Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed emphasized on Thursday that Ethiopia would not seek to further its interests “through military means,” in response to prior comments that had raised regional concerns regarding Ethiopia’s quest for access to the Red Sea.
“There are fears that Ethiopia may carry out an invasion after our recent strong demand for access to the sea,” Abiy told thousands of troops in Addis Ababa for National Army Day.
“I want to assure that Ethiopia will not pursue its interests through war. We are committed to mutual interest through dialogue and negotiation.”
Earlier this month, Abiy stated in a televised address that Ethiopia, being a landlocked country, “has a historical connection to the Red Sea” and emphasized the necessity of gaining access to a seaport.
“If we plan to live together in peace, we have to find a way to mutually share from each other in a balanced manner,” he said.
These remarks raised concerns among observers, particularly given the backdrop of apparent tensions with Eritrea.
Ethiopia, the second most populous country in Africa with approximately 120 million people, lost access to the sea when Eritrea declared independence in 1993, following a protracted three-decade conflict.
Ethiopia had previously enjoyed direct access to a seaport in Eritrea until the outbreak of hostilities between the two nations from 1998 to 2000. Since then, Ethiopia has primarily depended on Djibouti for its import and export activities.
Abiy was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2019 for his reconciliation efforts with Eritrea in the preceding year. However, Eritrean troops subsequently joined Ethiopian government forces in the intense two-year conflict in Tigray.
“Ethiopia has never been defeated and will not be defeated in the future,” Abiy said on Thursday, adding: “Ethiopia has never invaded any country and will not do so in the future.”
“The Ethiopian army does not aim to attack and invade others, but to defend the country.”
