Experts believe this demand is driven by accelerating factors, including significant population growth, economic expansion, and the urgent need to protect national interests.

They point out that the decline of Ethiopia’s influence in the Red Sea region stems from past policy failures and a historical lack of broad representation in maritime affairs, which has led to prolonged dependency, limiting economic growth and weakening national sovereignty.

Against this backdrop, the reformist government asserts that regaining sea access is not merely a political ambition but a legal, historical, geographical, and economic necessity.

In an exclusive interview, a professor stated that the civilizational foundations of Ethiopia have been eternally linked to the “Abay” (Blue Nile) River and the Red Sea.

He explained that Ethiopia was severed from its sea access, a cornerstone of its civilization, through conspiracies involving internal parties and historical external adversaries, which has inflicted heavy costs on the country’s economic, social, and political spheres over the past three decades.

The professor emphasized that securing a seaport to serve Ethiopia’s population and its growing economy is a “critical mission and historical responsibility” for the current generation, noting that the government is achieving a diplomatic victory by affirming Ethiopia’s right to possess a port to protect its geostrategic interests.

For his part, a policy and strategy researcher at the Ministry of Logistics and Transport indicated that the loss of sea access has placed a tremendous burden on logistics operations, causing Ethiopia to lose competitiveness in international trade due to significant losses in exports and imports, as well as exorbitant expenses related to port rentals and transit services.

He confirmed that Ethiopia’s pursuit of a port is a vital diplomatic move aimed at permanently addressing the economic damages in the logistics sector.

Red Sea

The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia, and is historically one of the world’s most important trade routes, connecting to the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal. Its name is often thought to derive from seasonal blooms of red algae or from the reddish mountains along its shores. For millennia, it has been a vital corridor for commerce and cultural exchange between empires, from ancient Egypt to the Roman and Ottoman empires.

Abay River

The Abay River, more commonly known as the Blue Nile, originates from Lake Tana in the Ethiopian Highlands. It flows through Ethiopia and Sudan, where it merges with the White Nile to form the main Nile River, and has been a vital water source and agricultural lifeline for civilizations for millennia. Historically, its source was a mystery to Europeans until its discovery by Portuguese explorer Pedro Páez in 1613.

Blue Nile

The Blue Nile is a major river originating at Lake Tana in the Ethiopian Highlands, famously contributing over half the water to the Nile River. Historically, its source was long sought by explorers and it has been a vital artery for agriculture and civilization in Sudan and Egypt for millennia. The river’s power is now harnessed by Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a major modern development project.