Nile and Red Sea Inseparable Pillars Capable of Creating Regional Cooperation, Integration: Researchers

Addis Ababa, October 17, 2026 (ENA) —The Nile River and the Red Sea are inseparable strategic pillars capable of driving regional cooperation, economic integration, and shared security across the Horn of Africa, according to researchers.

The insights were shared during a high-level panel discussion held at the Nile and Red Sea Strategic Forum today.

Opening the panel under the theme “Nile, Red Sea and the New Politics of Survival in the Horn of Africa: Water Geography and Power in a Changing Horn”, Aregawi Berhe, CEO of the Office of the National Council for the Coordination of Public Participation in the Construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), said that the two water bodies are inseparable components that strategically foster cooperation in the region.

 

Although the Abay is known as the Blue Nile beyond Ethiopia’s borders, its source lies in Ethiopia, giving the country an undeniable and tangible stake in the river, he noted. 

However, Ethiopia has not benefited equitably from this resource as the country has not yet fully utilized the Blue Nile’s waters, he added.

 Having maintained international relations through the Red Sea for centuries, the CEO pointed out that Ethiopia has a historical and natural connection to the Red Sea.

He recalled that Ethiopia has developed and utilized ports, including Adulis, Zeila, and Assab, along the Red Sea since ancient times.

Aregawi stated that the Red Sea has long served as a security guarantee for Ethiopia, underscoring that history supports this assertion.

Ethiopia's separation from the Red Sea was the result of conspiracy, according to the CEO who stressed that respecting Ethiopia's sovereignty and interests requires collective participation.

 

He underscored the importance of developing a common understanding and urged that Ethiopians must strive for the respect of their sovereignty and national interests. 

Highlighting the evolving geopolitical landscape, Shimelis Hailu, a Maritime Diplomacy Researcher at the Institute of Foreign Affairs, addressed the complexities surrounding the Red Sea.

He described the region as a vital global shipping lane characterized by both immense economic opportunity and acute security challenges, including illicit activities and the weaponization of maritime chokepoints like Bab el-Mandeb.

The researcher noted that securing diversified, and sustainable access to the sea is an existential necessity for Ethiopia’s long-term economic survival, prosperity, and status as a regional anchor state.

He outlined three potential modalities for achieving this: de facto sovereign access through shared transit corridors, joint port ownership and co-development, and full sovereign ownership.

Similarly, Senior African Affairs Researcher at the Institute of Foreign Affairs, Gashaw Ayferam, said water security and maritime access must be evaluated within a unified strategic framework.

He pointed out that the successful completion of the GERD marks a major technical milestone that has been translated into geopolitical and geo-economic victories.

Nile can play a decisive role in the region’s energy security, agriculture, food production, tourism, and economic development.

In this regard, the Renaissance dam is poised to foster broader geopolitical and economic benefits through regional electricity trade, infrastructure development, and cooperation among Nile Basin countries.

Stressing the need to strengthen regional water governance and establishing effective institutions to ensure equitable and cooperative utilization of the river, he emphasized on transforming Nile water from a source of historical tension into a catalyst for regional integration and cooperation.

The researcher underscored the need for regional cooperation like the Nile River Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) anchored in equitable utilization.

For his part, Mulugeta Ayele, a Peace and Security Researcher at Addis Ababa University, analyzed the intersection of water diplomacy and maritime strategy under the "politics of survival."

 

He warned that intersecting security risks, climate pressures, and the rising involvement of global powers underscore the urgency of cooperative governance in the Horn of Africa.

According to Mulugeta, trans-boundary water resources and maritime access should not inevitably breed conflict, provided that regional actors prioritize institutionalized legal agreements, mutual benefits, and transparent dialogue over zero-sum competition.

He underlined that the future stability of the Horn of Africa relies on shifting the regional paradigm away from competition and toward cooperation, transforming shared natural resources into instruments of collective prosperity and enduring peace.