Addis ababa: Ethiopia's quest for sovereign access to the sea is inseparable from the nation's long-term survival and holds the potential to foster mutual benefits across the Red Sea region, Education Minister Professor Berhanu Nega told ENA.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, Professor Berhanu Nega, a prominent figure in Ethiopia's opposition politics, emphasized that the country's pursuit of sea access is logical, historical, demographic, economic, and fundamentally linked to its security and survival. He argued that Ethiopia's rapidly growing population and expanding economic needs make the pursuit of access to the Red Sea a pressing national imperative that cannot be ignored.
Professor Berhanu highlighted the importance of sea access for a nation with a population of 130 million, particularly in terms of trade and security. He further asserted that Ethiopia's demographic realities necessitate the pursuit of sea access as an inevitable national imperative. Attempts to prevent or indefinitely delay it, he argued, cannot remove the underlying economic, demographic, and strategic realities driving the country's demand.
The Education Minister stressed that Ethiopia's quest should be pursued on the basis of mutual benefit, allowing Ethiopia and neighboring countries to harness the Red Sea's potential for greater trade, security, connectivity, and shared prosperity. He emphasized that the issue should be resolved peacefully and for mutual benefit.
Professor Berhanu also noted that Ethiopia's current landlocked status should be understood in its historical context. He pointed out that Ethiopia previously had access to the sea but lost it under successive governments, describing this as a result of decisions and developments that failed to safeguard the country's long-term national interests.
Describing the loss of direct sea access as a grave historical mistake by previous governments, Professor Berhanu maintained that the current status quo cannot persist forever. While reiterating Ethiopia's commitment to peaceful negotiations, he warned that the issue will persist across generations until resolved. He concluded by stating that if a mutually acceptable arrangement is not reached, future generations will not sit idle and allow their survival to be threatened.