Can Russia Help Ethiopia’s Claim to Commercial-Military Port Over Red Sea?

BY DANIEL KASSAHUN

In his article published Monday titled “Here is how Russia could help Ethiopia in its peaceful quest for a port,” Andrew Korybko explains why rational states globally and in the Horn region need to resort to backing Ethiopia’s cause.

Andrew Korybko, a political analyst, journalist and member of the Expert Council for the Institute of Strategic Studies and Predictions at the People’s Friendship University of Russia, tried to win the heart of states that advocate modern diplomacy and international principles and laws as he considered peaceful resort to regional security dilemmas.

The writer reiterates “landlocked countries have the international legal right to obtain reliable access to the sea.”

As we speak, there are over forty landlocked states and five partially recognized landlocked states in this world. But this doesn’t mean that there is no opportunity for them to claim their right of access to the sea.

The writer tipped, if Ethiopia is going to be really realizing its development ambitions, it is imperative for the country to access the Djibouti’s commercial port facilities to lessen the burden that negatively affects its growth.

He also addressed why Ethiopia’s stride in recreating its naval force is regarded as defensive by some and peaceful moves might be perceived by the other as offensive and warmongering.

However, Despite the potential challenges to be faced, the writer advocates legitimate interests to be pursued per international relations. “International Relations scholars suggest that such regional security dilemmas as the one afflicting the Horn are best resolved through joint trust-building initiatives that are mutually beneficial to each party or at least to some of those involved in this dilemma without harming others’ legitimate interests.”

In his belief, Prime Minister Abiy proactively sought to raise the access to Red Sea topic for the purpose of preemptively averting potentially forthcoming crises through a series of deals.

Of course, Ethiopia has no secrete intention its neighbors fear of. Its development move shouldn’t be interpreted as ruling out a series of mutually beneficial deals in principle such as the sort that Prime Minister Abiy proposed.

The writer suggests no such intentions exist. “As Prime Minister Abiy recently made clear during his latest extended remarks that emphasized the purely peaceful nature of Ethiopia’s port plans.”

Korybko further mentioned about Russia-South Sudan considering building a pipeline to the Red Sea via Ethiopia and Djibouti — which exemplify a mutually beneficial, trust building cooperation.

Substantiating his writing, he reiterated Ethiopia’s peaceful quest for fair and reliable commercial-military access to the sea is legitimate in terms of international law and aimed at preemptively averting economically driven crises that could threaten regional stability.

Of course, Djibouti might seriously consider granting Ethiopia the commercial-military access. Korybko said. “This could involve Ethiopia giving Djibouti stakes in its megaprojects and national companies while Russia could offer Djibouti stakes in its own resource ones that might soon operate in South Sudan. Djibouti would become the terminal point of South Sudan’s envisaged Red Sea pipeline and possibly have a Russian-built refinery too in exchange for giving Russia and Ethiopia a joint naval base.”

The article reads, what’s being proposed represents mutually beneficial way for resolving the regional security dilemma between landlocked Ethiopia and its coastal neighbors.

“The intent is to encourage a series of Russian-led deals that bring peace and development to everyone in the Horn, and nothing contained in these proposals warmongers or threatens anyone’s legitimate interests.”

In nut shell, he concludes, “No country’s legitimate interests are threatened by the proposed joint Ethiopian-Russian naval base in Djibouti.”

Of course, in consideration of modern diplomacy, nations could help Ethiopia’s peaceful quest for accessing military port.