Ethiopian Threats and Territorial Claims Against Eritrea: The Public Record

Addressing parliament, Abiy claimed that no official institutional record authorized the decision that made Ethiopia landlocked. He presented maritime access as a historical, legal and survival issue that could not be delayed, Addis Standard reported.

Addis Standard

Birhanu contrasted Ethiopia’s large population with the small population he attributed to Eritrea in arguing that Ethiopia’s exclusion from the sea was unfair. BBC Monitoring dates the remarks to 25 October.

A 3 November Shabait commentary by Weldu Ghebreselasie places them at Defense Force Day and reports references to plans for stronger forces and sovereign sea access. The demographic figures are the speaker’s claims; the commentary is an Eritrean account of the address.

Shabait · Weldu Ghebreselasie · BBC Monitoring

An ENDF statement described denial of Ethiopia’s Red Sea and Assab claim as “banditry” and invoked soldiers’ willingness to sacrifice. Addis Standard dates the statement to 27 September and published its report on 29 September.

The armed forces publicly associated the Assab claim with military sacrifice.

Addis Standard · ENDF statement reporting

BBC Monitoring reports that Birhanu Jula told soldiers on 21 September they would fight a country denying Ethiopia sea access. BBC identifies Eritrea as the implied target.

BBC Monitoring

At the launch of Medemer State, Abiy argued that Ethiopia could not pass its landlocked condition to future generations and presented obtaining a maritime gateway as inevitable. Fana’s report carries a 17 September dateline and an 18 September webpage date.

The remarks form part of the continuing maritime campaign. This is a context entry: the reported statement does not name Eritrea.

Fana Media Corporation

The Reporter recorded Teshome Gemechu asserting a historical Ethiopian right to Red Sea access and ownership of Assab, describing the issue as national survival and challenging the legitimacy of the transitional government’s decision.

BBC Monitoring places his ownership remarks in late August 2025. The precise interview day is unresolved, so this entry uses The Reporter’s 6 September publication date. The two reports are retained as one entry.

The Reporter · Abraham Tekle · BBC Monitoring

In an EBC interview ahead of the GERD inauguration, Abiy portrayed Ethiopia’s loss of Assab as a historical mistake that would be corrected. The Reporter’s 6 September account presented his expectation that control of the port would return.

BBC Monitoring dates his loss-and-correction statement to 1 September; The Reporter identifies the interview as taking place that week.

The Reporter · Abraham Tekle · BBC Monitoring

The Netherlands’ January 2024 country report records Ethiopian soldiers singing “The sea is ours” during Army Day celebrations on 26 October 2023. Its citation identifies a BBC Monitoring report issued the following day.

The military chant followed Abiy’s maritime address. The recorded words assert possession of the sea without naming a particular port.

Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs

In a televised address to lawmakers, Abiy Ahmed framed sea access as an existential question, named Assab, Massawa and Adulis, and warned that perceived unfairness could eventually produce conflict. His proposals included land exchanges and federation or confederation.

Addis Standard reported the address on 14 October 2023; Eritrea’s Foreign Ministry dates it to 13 October.

Addis Standard · Eritrean Foreign Ministry · Shabait