Quest for Sea Port and Alternative Port Not Luxury, Says Economist

Addis Ababa  December 23/2023 (ENA) Ethiopia’s quest for sea port and access to alternative port is not a luxury but a morally and legally appropriate demand consistent with the principle of international trade, according to the Addis Ababa University economist Atnafu Gebremeskel.

A joint workshop on the strategic interest of Ethiopia on the Red Sea and organized by Samara, Dire Dawa, Addis Ababa, Jigjiga and Mekelle universities is underway in the Afara regional capital Samara.

Presenting his perspective on port and economy to Ethiopia’s strategic interest, the economist said that logistics and product supply chain have become instrumental in modern global trade activities.

A port is key instrument in accelerating global trade and it enables countries to participate in international trade and ensure their economic growth,  he elaborated.

 

According to the economist, among the trade barriers Africans face is sea port. Some 80 percent of the world's trade pass through ports.

The economist stressed that maritime transport has remained one of the major bottlenecks for African countries to facilitate their trade activities.

Africa, a continent with 17.8 percent of the world population, has only two percent the global trade share. 

Atnafu pointed out that the annual GDP of landlocked countries is lower by 31 percent when  compared with countries that have coastal access. Their inflation rate is also bigger by 26 percent.

Therefore, building standard port and producing quality produces as well as developing surroundings is vital in order to become competitive in trade and export-import.

He further said that global trade and investment cannot be met without regional integration.

Given the global context, Ethiopia's quest for sea port and alternative port is not a luxury but morally and legally correct.