Ethiopia’s Sovereign Access to Seaport Crucial for Regional Shared Prosperity: Scholars

Scholars have noted that Ethiopia’s sovereign access to seaport plays a crucial role in ensuring regional shared prosperity.

Ethiopia was one of the world's prominent civilizations in international trade and diplomacy due to its secured sovereign sea access and ports.

However, the country had lost its natural, historical, and legal resources due to internal and external political conspiracies as well as various historical circumstances.

However, the present generation has risen with strong determination to regain this historical right of ownership and to safeguard the nation's core interests.

Efforts being made by the government to address the issue through peaceful and diplomatic means are also showing promising results.

The international community has also given due support and attention to Ethiopia’s fair demand.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Logistics Researcher Temesgen Walelign said access to the sea plays a significant role in strengthening commercial activities, cargo transport, and global market integration countries.

 

As a result, Ethiopia’s lack of port has been incurring additional logistics costs and burdens, preventing products from reaching the global market on time and at competitive prices, he explained.

These extra costs affect not only export trade but also cause price hikes on imported goods, ultimately impacting consumers, the researcher added.

Moreover, Ethiopia’s claim for sea access is appropriate taking into consideration the historical, legal, and long-term development ambitions of the country beyond it geographical location and population.  

He also praised Ethiopia’s efforts in working with neighboring countries to achieve this demand by adhering to principles of give-and-take, peaceful diplomacy, and mutual benefit.

 

Beyond strengthening Ethiopia's commercial and economic capacity, this contributes significantly to fostering lasting regional peace and economic cooperation, Temesgen underscored.

Overall, he emphasized that the demand goes beyond current economic needs and forms the foundation of the country's future strategic survival.

For his part, the economist Nemomsa Mengesha said Ethiopia's quest for sovereign seaport plays a crucial role in boosting economic competitiveness.

 

This, he noted, will streamline the overall economic activities and play a major role in easing living cost for citizens.

Therefore, securing seaport is a fundamental solution for achieving the country's long-term development goals and improving the living standards of its people.