Ethiopia’s Access to Red Sea Will Have Enormous Contribution for Regional Peace, Stability: Director General for African Affairs of MoFA

Ethiopia’s quest for access to the Red Sea will offer immense contributions for regional peace and stability, Director General for African Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Zerihun Abebe stated.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, the Director General emphasized the significance of Ethiopia's access to the sea to regional peace. 

Recall that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed recently told to members of the parliament (MPs), underscoring that the quest to secure Red Sea is a legal, historical, geographical, and economic matter to the country. 

Ethiopia is a big country in the region in terms of population size, military capability, and economic development, he stated.   

Stating that the country shares borders with six countries, Ambassador Zerihun pointed out that it is an anchor state in the region.   

Mentioning that Ethiopia is interconnected with its neighbors with same people, natural resources, and infrastructure, he emphasized that if Ethiopia grew alone, it would be a lonely decoration.

The guiding principle, therefore, is-- when Ethiopia grows, so does the entire region; so is the regional peace and stability essential to the country, he underlined. 

He further explained that Ethiopia’s Medemer philosophy is crucial to foster understanding, cooperation, and shared progress with neighboring countries. 

Against this background, Ethiopia's pursuit of access to the sea, shared utilization of transboundary resources, and joint infrastructure development are clear examples of its commitment for collective development, he emphasized.