Abiy Ahmed insists Ethiopia will not go to war over sea access

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed says his government has “no intention of invading or attacking others” as he pushes for access to a seaport — an ambition that is stirring fresh tensions in the Horn of Africa.

Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia: "We have no intention of invading or attacking others, but we won't be ashamed to ask for access to a port. We have no intention of violating or invading the sovereignty of others, but we do call for a discussion on getting access to the sea to conduct business. We don't know what will happen if our demand is not resolved through discussion, negotiation and commercial terms. However, Ethiopia will not fire a single bullet at Eritrea, Somalia, Djibouti or Kenya. We do not question their sovereignty."

Abiy’s remarks come amid growing concern over his vision of restoring Ethiopia’s sovereign access to the Red Sea — particularly through the Eritrean port of Assab.

At a recent stadium event in southern Ethiopia, the prime minister presided over a high-profile parade of special forces, widely interpreted as a show of strength aimed at neighboring Eritrea. A banner at the event declared that Ethiopia would not remain landlocked “whether you like it or not,” alongside imagery depicting a soldier breaking through a door toward a port.

Ethiopia lost direct access to the sea when Eritrea gained independence in 1993. Today, most Ethiopian trade passes through Djibouti, at a cost estimated at about 1.5 billion dollars annually.

Abiy previously pursued a controversial maritime access deal with Somaliland, angering Somalia and heightening regional tensions. While that dispute has cooled, his focus on Assab has raised fears of renewed conflict with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki.

The two countries fought a brutal border war that ended with the 2000 Algiers Agreement, and although Abiy won the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for reconciling with Eritrea, relations have since deteriorated.

The International Crisis Group has warned that without diplomatic intervention, escalating rhetoric and military movements along the border could risk a new regional war — even if, for now, Ethiopia’s prime minister insists dialogue remains his preferred path.