Landlocked Ethiopia and dream of warm waters!

Is war beating its drums towards Africa?

Amira Faisal

Water is the lifeline that nourishes the soul of the earth, has been the cause of wars, and the fear of death from thirst persists.

 Ethiopia is a landlocked country in Africa, lacking maritime ports or boundaries that aid in imposing global trade authority like its counterparts Egypt, Djibouti, and Eritrea.

It suffers from isolation, especially in trade movement, where many goods cannot be transported by air.

This has led Ethiopia to pursue a policy of “After me comes the flood.”

Since Abiy Ahmed took office as Prime Minister of Ethiopia in 2018, Ethiopia has pursued a manipulative policy to achieve its strategic goals of securing a water outlet to make Somalia Land, a gateway it tries to cross to the Red Sea, through Somalia Land’s recognition as separate from the parent state Somalia.

This was opposed by Eritrea and Djibouti for fear of Ethiopian dominance and undermining the interests of the Horn of Africa in favor of Ethiopia. 

The question is, Will Africa witness a water war?

Ethiopia and the dream of the Red Sea outlet: Access to the Red Sea port has been an old dream that Ethiopia has tirelessly worked on. It is bordered by Djibouti and Somalia to the east, and Eritrea to the north. Ethiopia, its location making it landlocked, lacks maritime hegemony and control.

Historically, Eritrea was subject to Ethiopian colonization, which temporarily allowed Ethiopia to impose restrictions on Eritrea’s Red Sea port. However, Ethiopia’s aspirations for maritime dominance were not fulfilled after Eritrea’s liberation in 1993.

With Abiy Ahmed assuming the position of Prime Minister of Ethiopia, he began weaving Ethiopia’s maritime dream gradually, starting with the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and culminating in the direction towards the port of Berbera in Somali territory.”

The port of Berbera represents Ethiopia’s hope for African sovereignty:

After nearing the completion of the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam project, which caused severe tension among the three countries: Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed turned his attention towards the separatist region of Somaliland to negotiate an agreement granting Ethiopia access to the Red sea through the port of Berbera.

 The agreement would allow Ethiopia to lease the port and use it as a military base and for commercial purposes for 50 years. This move angered Somalia, which considered it a direct threat to its territorial integrity.

But as usual, Abiy Ahmed disregards unity or territorial concerns. Months later, he stated that his country also needs to enhance its right to access the Red Sea.”

The port in exchange for Israel’s peace:  Addis Ababa did not settle for destabilizing the stability of the Horn of Africa alone but also exploited the Gaza war and the Houthi attacks on ships heading to Israel to blackmail the latter.

 By obtaining the port of Berbera, Ethiopia promised to ensure navigation and trade in the Red Sea and to fortify Israel from the south against any maritime attacks. This means that the port serves not only Ethiopian interests but also Israeli interests, the negotiation tactic Ethiopia relied on to achieve its dream at any cost.

It is worth mentioning that Ethiopia has 12 rivers and 22 lakes, but its geographical location deprived it of having its maritime port, making it confined within its borders and aspiring to assert its control among its neighbors.

In the end, we wonder if the countries of Africa would accept Ethiopia’s aspirations?

AMIRA FAISAL, journalist and Editor, Morocco

Images from different sources [Headline Pic: , Ethiopia has pursued a manipulative policy to achieve its strategic goals of securing a water outlet to make Somalia Land, a gateway it tries to cross to the Red Sea, through Somalia Land’s recognition as separate from the parent state Somalia]

21-03-2024

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