HARGEISA (Horndiplomat) – Egypt is prepared to work with African allies to help secure Ethiopia access to the Red Sea if Addis Ababa shows flexibility in its water dispute, sources in Cairo briefed on private deliberations toldThe National.
According to The National, the proposal was delivered to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed last week and has also been sent to Washington, where US President Donald Trump has declared his intention to mediate in the decade-old dispute over Egypt’s share of the Nile waters following Ethiopia’s construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
Quoting The National, the report states: “The sustainability of our growth cannot be ensured if a nation of over 130 million continues to be denied access to the sea and remains a geographic prisoner. Such reality runs counter to prevailing global practices and contemporary economic trends,” Mr Ahmed said during a joint news conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The report further notes that the Egyptian offer contains an implicit warning that Cairo could use its political and military leverage in Sudan, Somalia and Djibouti, as well as its naval presence in the southern Red Sea, to block Ethiopia’s access to ports if the offer is rejected.
The National also reported that Egypt has reached agreements to develop ports and associated infrastructure in Djibouti and Eritrea, including upgrades to Doraleh port and Assab port, both located near the strategic Bab Al Mandeb strait.
Egypt views Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam as an “existential threat,” as the country depends on the Nile for almost all its fresh water needs.
The development comes amid broader regional tensions over Red Sea access and maritime security, including opposition from Egypt, Somalia and Turkey to a 2024 agreement in principle between Ethiopia and Somaliland regarding sea access, and their condemnation of Israel’s recognition of Somaliland in December.
