Ethiopia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Stance on Abay River and Red Sea Interests

Addis Ababa — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs underscored today that any discussion regarding the utilization and management of the Abay River and the issue of Red Sea must take into account Ethiopia's geographic reality and legitimate national interests. In its press statement, the Ministry noted that Ethiopia is the origin of the Abay River, commonly known as the Blue Nile, with virtually all of its flow originating in the Ethiopian highlands and contributing about 85 percent of the Nile's total water. The Ministry also said that Ethiopia remains geographically and historically tied to the Red Sea, situated barely 30 miles from its coast. "Despite changes in political boundaries over time, Ethiopia remains closely connected to the Red Sea, with its nearest border lying barely 30 miles from the coast. Accordingly, any serious discussion of regional maritime affairs and security architecture must account for Ethiopia's legitimate interests and its enduring connection to the Red Sea." Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines Consequently, any comprehensive regional security framework and maritime discussion must factor in Ethiopia's vital interests, the statement emphasized. It pointed out that these geographic and historical facts cannot be altered by political rhetoric, coercive actions, or acts of destabilization. Proxy actions or acts of aggression will neither change the facts on the ground nor diminish Ethiopia's legitimate regional role and responsibilities. Reaffirming the nation's commitment to peaceful engagement, mutual respect, and regional cooperation, the Ministry declared that Ethiopia stands ready to defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and core interests; urging all regional actors to address shared challenges through constructive dialogue and good neighborliness rather than confrontation and zero-sum approaches. Read the original article on ENA . AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 90 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals , representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica . To address comments or complaints, please Contact us . AllAfrica is a voice of, by and about Africa - aggregating, producing and distributing 600 news and information items daily from over 90 African news organizations and our own reporters to an African and global public. We operate from Cape Town, Dakar, Abuja, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Washington DC. Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy . We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.