Ethiopia, 30 December 2025 Ethiopia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gideon Timothewos, has affirmed that Ethiopia’s pursuit of direct access to the sea constitutes a strategic national interest that is non-negotiable, describing it as an imperative for safeguarding national security, protecting vital interests, and securing the future of coming generations.
The remarks were delivered during his address to the House of People’s Representatives at its sixth regular session of the fifth year of its mandate, where the minister outlined Ethiopia’s broader diplomatic engagements and long-term regional objectives. He stressed that access to the sea remains a sovereign priority for the Ethiopian state.
Timothewos said Ethiopian diplomatic missions are continuing efforts at multiple levels to ensure the international community understands the legitimacy and fairness of Ethiopia’s demands.
He emphasized that Ethiopia’s linkage to the Red Sea is neither a temporary issue nor a passing political matter, but one rooted in history and directly tied to national security and economic stability.