Ethiopia's Port Quest Reaches Irreversible Stage: Experts

Legal consultant Yonas Woldeyes of the Nile and Red Sea Strategic Forum stated that Ethiopia's quest for sovereign seaport access is a critical, irreversible necessity grounded in international law and economic urgency. He noted that reliance on the Port of Djibouti causes delays, and argued that national development projects like the Bishoftu Airport necessitate direct access.

Mulugeta Ayele, a security researcher at Addis Ababa University, emphasized that preventing landlocked Ethiopia from accessing the Red Sea, located only 60 kilometers away, is unjustifiable. He argued that Ethiopia's involvement would promote regional stability, particularly by combatting maritime piracy and ship hijackings in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.