The controversial deal has received condemnation from other Red Sea neighbours, including Egypt and Eritrea, which fear a possible naval access to the Red Sea which Ethiopia lost the right to use following Eritrea’s secession in 1993. Regrettably, the West’s perception of Horn of Africa countries is weak with little attention currently paid to the rising concern among Africans that the port agreement could enflame conflict in one of the world’s most volatile regions. Rising fear of conflict to engulf the entire continentThe rupture in Ethiopian-Somali ties could have grave consequences for the region and the Red Sea countries as a whole. There is also rising fear of conflict extending to endanger ships passing from Egypt’s Suez Canal which connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean via the Red Sea. The political and economic grievances of the Horn of Africa region are so great that they can’t solve them alone.

Source: Ethiopian News January 18, 2024 12:41 UTC