Ethiopia’s imperial ambitions, inspired by Russia, China, leave neighbors uneasy — experts

The recent claim by Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed that his country has a ‘natural right’ to directly access the Red Sea has raised eyebrows across the region and beyond, with experts and observers cautioning that Abiy takes a page from Russia and China in asserting the right to restore historical claim to strategic waters.

When Ethiopia’s prime minister asserted on 13 October that gaining low-cost, permanent access to a Red Sea port is “an existential matter” for his landlocked country, his seeming imperial ambitions have left neighbors uneasy.

“What I wanted to talk to you today is regarding water; regarding the Red Sea Water. We can see that only a narrow strip of land separates us from the sea. It is crucial for the present leaders of Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea, and Ethiopia to engage in discussions, not just for the present, but to ensure lasting peace,” PM Abiy said in a 45-minute address to party officials, on Oct. 13, 2023.

The comment has spawned resentment amongst Ethiopia’s neighbors, with Eritrea saying the commentary was “excessive and perplexing to all concerned observers,” according to a statement published by Eritrea’s Information Ministry.

Ethiopia’s dreams of building a ‘great power’ in the region should worry all Africans, experts say. “Abiy is increasingly sounding and acting like another world leader whose imperial ambitions and aggression have already caused immense pain and suffering: Russia’s President Vladimir Putin,” writes Al Jazeera’s columnist Tafi Mhaka.

“(Abiy’s) rhetoric echoes ambitious geopolitical powers like China and Russia, both of which have shown a willingness to use military force to dominate strategic waters — as evidenced by Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014 and China’s military posturing in the South China Sea,” writes Mahad Darar from Colorado State University in a latest analysis published by The Conversation.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner, once acclaimed for promoting peace and international cooperation but later accused of being a belligerent war-maker, Abiy has alarmed countries in the region with his recent remarks, Darar notes.