By Nuh Mohamed - Reporter
Ethiopia, 30 December 2025 Ethiopia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gideon Timothewos, has affirmed that Ethiopia’s pursuit of direct access to the sea constitutes a strategic national interest that is non-negotiable, describing it as an imperative for safeguarding national security, protecting vital interests, and securing the future of coming generations.
The remarks were delivered during his address to the House of People’s Representatives at its sixth regular session of the fifth year of its mandate, where the minister outlined Ethiopia’s broader diplomatic engagements and long-term regional objectives. He stressed that access to the sea remains a sovereign priority for the Ethiopian state.
Timothewos said Ethiopian diplomatic missions are continuing efforts at multiple levels to ensure the international community understands the legitimacy and fairness of Ethiopia’s demands.
He emphasized that Ethiopia’s linkage to the Red Sea is neither a temporary issue nor a passing political matter, but one rooted in history and directly tied to national security and economic stability.
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Highlighting the geopolitical importance of the Red Sea and its central role in global trade, the minister argued that these realities necessitate a unified national position in defending Ethiopia’s right to sea access. He called for overcoming internal divisions and rallying behind this strategic objective.
The foreign minister also urged the Ethiopian public to support the country’s maritime rights through legitimate diplomatic and peaceful means, underscoring that the issue represents a collective national responsibility that transcends narrow political interests and requires a clear and consistent stance toward the international community.
He further warned against any internal or external actors that, in his words, seek to align with Ethiopia’s historical adversaries to undermine the country’s strategic interests, stressing the need to confront any actions that could hinder sustainable development or threaten national security.
Eritrea has in the past accused Ethiopia of targeting its territory in its continuous rhetoric about its right to access to the sea. The Minister's remarks are expected to add fire to the already bad diplomatic relations between the two East African countries.
