A report by a center-right think tank based in Washington, DC warns that Ethiopia’s pursuit of sovereign sea access is fundamentally altering the geopolitical landscape of the Horn of Africa. The report details how the Ethiopian government increasingly views its landlocked status as a strategic vulnerability that must be rectified. The AEI report further reads that Ethiopia is moving beyond rhetoric by actively rebuilding its naval capabilities. In response, a “status quo” axis comprising Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Eritrea has emerged to contain Ethiopia’s expansion, reads the report. According to the report, Egypt, in particular, views Ethiopia’s maritime rise—coupled with the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD)—as a direct threat to its historical dominance over the Nile and the Red Sea.

Source: Ethiopian News February 28, 2026 07:38 UTC