No Entity Can Prevent Ethiopia from Securing Sea Access, Says Abadula Gemeda

Addis Ababa, October 7, 2026 (ENA)—No entity can prevent Ethiopia from securing access to the sea, Former Speaker of the House of Peoples’ Representatives (HPR) Abadula Gemeda told ENA.

Abadula added that the country’s loss of its maritime outlet resulted from decisions made by a limited number of individuals without broader national consultation.

Ethiopia was deprived of sea access through decisions that were not subjected to adequate national discussion or deliberation within a formal legal framework, the former speaker noted. 

He argued that Ethiopia’s historical adversaries had long sought to prevent the country from securing access to the sea, including by supporting forces operating from within Ethiopia.

According to Abadula, after repeated attempts to defeat Ethiopia militarily failed, its adversaries shifted their strategy toward supporting what he described as internal collaborators. He cited Egypt’s alleged role in supporting the formation of the Eritrean Shabia movement and the TPLF as examples of such efforts.

He said these developments eventually contributed to decisions that undermined Ethiopia’s national interests, including the loss of its access to the sea.

Abadula particularly questioned the process through which Ethiopia lost its maritime outlet, arguing that the matter was not subjected to sufficient national debate or formal legal deliberation.

“There was no decision reached regarding the issue of sea access through discussions held or agreements concluded in a formal, legal forum,” he said.

He also questioned the constitutional authority of the transitional government at the time to make decisions of such magnitude before the adoption of the Constitution.

According to him, despite the absence of a fully established constitutional order, decisions with far reaching implications for Ethiopia’s national interests were made by a limited number of individuals without broad public consultation.

He described the loss of sea access as a major historical setback for Ethiopia, given the importance of maritime access to the country’s economic and strategic interests.

Abadula admired the government’s current efforts to secure sea access through peaceful negotiations, mutual interests and a give and take approach.

He stressed that Ethiopia’s aspiration to secure access to the sea is a long-term national issue that cannot simply be set aside.

“It is impossible to keep Ethiopia cut off from the sea,” Abadula said.