Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has renewed his call for reliable access to the sea, telling the BRICS summit in New Delhi that maritime access is an economic necessity for Ethiopia.
Abiy linked Ethiopia's demand for maritime access to the country's growing economy and its need to connect more effectively with international markets. He said economic investment alone was not enough for a country seeking to expand trade and argued that access to finance must be matched by access to markets.
“Access to the sea, first and foremost, is an economic necessity for Ethiopia,” Abiy said during the summit.
He said Ethiopia, one of Africa's most populous countries, needed reliable and diversified trade routes to reduce transportation costs, strengthen the resilience of its economy and create wider opportunities for growth.
Abiy also reiterated that Ethiopia would pursue access to the sea through peaceful negotiations and agreements, presenting the issue primarily as an economic and trade concern rather than a security matter.
The remarks came during the Sept. 12-13 BRICS summit in New Delhi, which brought together leaders from the expanded grouping of major emerging economies. Among those attending were Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Ethiopia joined BRICS as part of the group's expansion, giving Addis Ababa a larger platform for engagement with major economies outside its traditional Western partnerships.
The country's economic ties with BRICS members are significant. Data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development shows that BRICS countries accounted for about 48 percent of Ethiopia's imports in 2024, highlighting the importance of the grouping to Ethiopia's trade and supply chains.
Abiy's renewed emphasis on maritime access also comes against the backdrop of tensions with neighbouring Somalia.
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The dispute escalated in January 2024 after Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland concerning access to the Red Sea. Somalia rejected the agreement, saying it violated its sovereignty and territorial integrity because Somaliland is internationally recognized as part of Somalia.
The disagreement triggered a diplomatic crisis between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa and raised concerns across the Horn of Africa.
Türkiye subsequently mediated talks between the two countries, leading to the Ankara Declaration in December 2024. Abiy and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud reaffirmed respect for each other's sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence under the agreement.
The declaration also recognized Ethiopia's need for reliable access to the sea and established a framework for negotiations over commercial maritime access under Somalia's sovereign authority.
Technical negotiations between Somalia and Ethiopia began in Ankara in February 2025 to work out the details of a possible arrangement.
Ethiopia has repeatedly described access to the sea as an important long-term economic objective since Abiy revived the issue publicly in 2023. Addis Ababa has sought to diversify its maritime trade routes and reduce its dependence on Djibouti, through which the vast majority of Ethiopia's international trade passes.
The issue has since become a major element of Ethiopia's regional diplomacy, involving neighbouring countries and international partners.
By raising maritime access at the BRICS summit, Abiy placed the issue before leaders and governments with significant influence over global trade, investment and infrastructure.
His remarks also underscored Addis Ababa's stated intention to pursue the objective through negotiated arrangements, as Somalia and Ethiopia continue efforts to resolve their differences over how Ethiopia could obtain maritime access while respecting Somalia's sovereignty.
About the Author
Ahmed Omar is a senior journalist for Somali Report, based in Mogadishu. He has two decades of experience reporting on Somalia for international and local media. He covers politics, security, governance, business, trade, economic developments and regional affairs.
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