Ethiopia’s peaceful quest for fair commercial-military access to the sea is legitimate and fits the international legal right of landlocked states to obtain the sea, said American political analyst.
Andrew Korybko (PhD), who bases in Moscow told FBC Ethiopia’s quest aims at preemptively averting economically driven crises that could threaten regional stability.
“Ethiopia has experienced social and economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, the conflict in its northern part and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Besides, the increase to its population may lead to a mass migration that will in turn affect the regional countries. Taking this into consideration, I believe that access to sea would help Ethiopia unleash full economic potentials for the benefit of its citizens and the region at large,” he noted.
Korybko argues that Ethiopia is fair as it plans to rebuild its navy in order to secure the fertilizer and fuel maritime logistics upon which its economic stability depends. “If they’re unexpectedly disrupted, perhaps due to Great Power games in the region, then the economy could immediately enter into a crisis with all that would entail for domestic and regional stability. It’s therefore equally imperative for Ethiopia to rebuild its navy so as to preemptively avert economically driven crises.”
Korbyeko’s speculations of the security and economic threats from the advent of Great Power games crisis to the East African region then consolidate that Ethiopia’s plan to rebuild commercial and naval port should be backed and facilitated by its neighboring countries.
The analyst further underscored that Ethiopia’s peaceful port plans stand the best chance of success through a series of mutually beneficial deals with neighboring countries.