Ethiopia Seeks Port Access Through Negotiations and Force

Ethiopia’s lack of a port has been a major obstacle to its economic development. Ethiopia currently relies on the ports of Djibouti and Somaliland to import and export goods. However, these ports are expensive to use, and they are often congested.

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Addis Insight – Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has announced that the Ethiopian government is exploring all options to secure a port for the country, including negotiation, “give and take,” and force.

In a meeting with investors and businessmen on Thursday, Abiy said that Ethiopia’s current port costs are unsustainable, and that the country must have its own port to reduce its reliance on neighboring countries.

The Prime Minister said that the government has already started negotiations with Eritrea, Djibouti, and Somaliland to secure port access. In the case of Eritrea, the government has proposed to give 30% of Ethiopian Airlines to the Eritrean government in exchange for port access.

MORE >> Ethiopia Seeks Port Access (July 21 2023)