Ethiopia and Eritrea: Red Sea Port Rivalry

By: Madelyn Williams

In recent months, relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea have degraded from Ethiopia’s desire to operate a port on the Red Sea. In 2023, Ethiopia declared a port’s necessity an “existential issue.” The country asserts that it is a global norm for large nations to have ports; however, Ethiopia is the world’s most populous landlocked country.

The need for a seaport is critical for economic trade. Currently, a port in Djibouti has been used by Ethiopia as their main trade conduit, but usage fees are expensive, costing around $1 billion annually. Ethiopia has also signed a port deal with Somaliland, the autonomous region of Somalia. As relations between these two countries are actively tanking, Ethiopia’s prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, reaffirms that Ethiopia does not want war with Eritrea. Despite this rhetoric, Ethiopia has stationed troops on the Eritrean border. Eritrea has worked to bolster its military and called for enlistment as a response.

Eritrea was an Italian colony before coming under British colonial rule. The state spent some time as an autonomous region before winning its independence from Ethiopia in 1993. As a result, Ethiopia lost access to the sea. Adding to the conflict are accusations that Eritrea is interfering with the Tigray region, escalating tensions between the countries. This region underwent a bloody, 2-year civil war ending in November 2022. In previous months, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), who governs this region, has split into two factions. The conflict and divide have strained the peace deal agreed upon after the civil war, because one faction has been accused of being supported by Eritrea. There have been concerns that war will return to this region because of the Eritrean influence. Eritrea’s foreign minister, Osman Seleh, has denied these accusations, saying that they have no influence in this matter. There has been turmoil on the Horn of Africa for generations, either between Somalia and Somaliland or Ethiopia and Eritrea. Eritrea signed a security deal with Egypt and Somalia last October. This Red Sea port conflict comes on the heels of declining relations between Ethiopia and Egypt. Ethiopia angered Egypt in the last few years over issues regarding control of the Nile River after Ethiopia built a dam downstream. Both Eritrea and Ethiopia must exercise restraint to avoid adding more conflict to the Horn of Africa.