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Ethiopian Navy

When Eritrea gained independence in 1993, Ethiopia became a landlocked nation. Most of the small Ethiopian navy was ceded to Eritrea at that time. in 2020 the Ethiopian Government announced it had re-established a navy, which had been disbanded in 1996; in March 2019, Ethiopia signed a defense cooperation agreement with France which stipulated that France would support the establishment of an Ethiopian navy, which would reportedly be based out of Djibouti;

On 04 June 2021 the deputy commander and deputy chief of logistics at the Ethiopian Naval Force, Commodore Waletsa Wacha, said that the navy is preparing by taking into account potential threats. The officer told a local newspaper that the country’s military capacity is able to withstand ‘any kind of enemy wherever it may come from’. The commander explained that works are underway to reorganize the navy into a single unit. “The preparation of the navy takes into account potential attacks that may come from sea.”

Commodore Waletsa said that the navy is working with the ground forces and the air force as well. “Our status makes anyone who plans on invading Ethiopia to think twice,” he said, further explaining that Ethiopia has organized and mobilized air, ground, navy and other security forces to ensure the country’s security. He also indicated that the army is preoccupied with mitigating the security crisis caused by the country’s enemies in addition to its regular duties of securing the borders. “Our enemies are using our internal gaps to attack us instead of facing us upfront.” he said, adding, “But the current status of the army is more than enough to defeat our enemies.”

The deputy commander of the navy noted that the army is free of political alliances in its design and that it is fulfilling its responsibility of defending the country’s sovereignty in the same manner. He said that members of the air force are equipped with ethics and advanced technology. The navy is also recruiting members and providing well researched and effective training according to Commodore Waletsa.

Search for Ports

Ethiopia has been investing heavily in ports in Sudan, Djibouti and Somaliland, which are becoming increasingly important hubs for trade with the Horn of Africa. However, given the problem of piracy and international terrorism in the region, ensuring the security of merchant ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden will play a decisive role in the economic development of Ethiopia and its neighboring countries. In other words, Ethiopia needs a navy.

Perhaps the most likely option for the mooring of Ethiopian warships would be Djibouti. The capital of the same name is currently the key trading port for Ethiopia, through which 95% of the country's exports and imports pass. In 2018, Ethiopian state corporations acquired a stake in the port of Djibouti and built 759 km of railway connecting the port of Doraleh (neighboring Djibouti) with Addis Ababa. The port of Djibouti permanently houses 11 Ethiopian merchant ships, regularly making voyages to ports in the Persian Gulf, South Asia, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, China, Korea and South Africa.

However, the head of the state-owned Ethiopian Shipping & Logistics Services Enterprise (ESLSE), Roba Megressa Akawak, said in an interview with Bloomberg last June that Djibouti's politics and economy are now largely controlled by foreign navies, including France. , Japan, China and the USA. “We fear that with this balance of power, Djibouti will have difficulty deciding its own destiny, and this poses a threat to Ethiopia,” Roba said. The strategic objective of building Ethiopia's naval forces, oddly enough, is of benefit not only for Addis Ababa, but for all states of the Horn of Africa. Landlocked, Ethiopia has the most developed economy and military power in the region, while neighboring coastal states cannot boast of this. The construction of ports and potential maritime bases will contribute to the development of the national economies of neighboring countries, increasing their attractiveness and reliability as partners in trade with foreign powers. In addition, the economic interdependence of the states of the region, with the support of the Ethiopian fleet, will contribute to the reconciliation of foreign policy positions and greater unity of views on strengthening common security and maintaining stability in East Africa.

The Ethiopian Maritime Training Institute (EMTI SC) operates in the city of Bahir Dar, Amhara province, annually graduating 500 civil engineers and technical specialists in the field of maritime transport. According to its official website , this institute plans to double the number of graduates in the coming years. According to the same website, specialists, having completed a five-year training course, have all the necessary knowledge and skills to work effectively in the field of shipbuilding around the world. However, the creation of naval forces is a somewhat different task. Building a fleet practically from scratch requires colossal financial investments and significant time for the full training of sailors, because the last time Ethiopia had its own warships was only in the early 90s. However, such aspirations of the ambitious head of the Ethiopian government are arousing noticeable interest among some foreign powers.

On 13 March 2019 this year, Emmanuel Macron visited Addis Ababa. The media have already called this visit historic. Macron is the first French president to visit Ethiopia for the first time since the early 1970s. During the meeting between Abiy and Macron, an agreement was concluded on defense cooperation between the two countries, under which France undertakes to provide financial and technical assistance in the construction of the naval component of the Ethiopian armed forces.

Somaliland Port?

Abiy Ahmed on his state television statement in the summer of 2018: “We have built some of the most powerful land and air forces in Africa ... We must also provide all the opportunities for our naval forces in the future."

The peace agreement, signed by the two states in September 2018 with the goal of ending the 20-year confrontation, opened up the possibility for Ethiopia to regain access to the ports of Eritrea, which would reduce dependence on Djibouti in matters of cargo transportation.

However, in an interview with General Berhan Jule, a proposal was made to create a new naval base on the Indian Ocean, and not on the Red Sea. Ethiopia was conducting consultations with several countries on the restoration, staffing and equipment of the fleet.

The general also noted that many countries from other regions are interested in establishing naval bases in Somalia, Djibouti, Puntland and Eritrea. Thus, China built a naval base in Djibouti, and the United Arab Emirates uses the Eritrean port of Assab to support a military operation in Yemen and builds a naval base and air base near the city of Berbera, controlled by the self-proclaimed Somaliland.

In 2018, Addis Ababa struck a series of deals with the self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland to acquire a 19 percent stake in the Berbera port, as well as to build a railway to the port. According to TsAMTO, Berbera is the most obvious alternative to Eritrea as the naval base of the Ethiopian Navy. In March, Addis Ababa acquired a 19% stake in the project to create and manage the port of Somaliland by an operator from the UAE DP World. Plans include improving the road connecting Berbera with Vazhale on the Ethiopian border. Somaliland was likely to be ready to deploy the Ethiopian fleet, counting on support for de facto independence from Mogadishu.

Ethiopia and the self-declared republic of Somaliland signed a "historic" initial agreement that will allow landlocked Ethiopia to have access to the Red Sea, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's office announced 01 January 2024. The announcement was made in Addis Ababa where Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi is visiting. According to Ethiopia, Ahmed and Abdi signed the "Memorandum of Understanding," or MoU, for the partnership in the Ethiopian capital. It said the MoU is "intended to serve as a framework for the multisectoral partnership between the two sides."

"The Memorandum of Understanding shall pave the way to realize the aspiration of Ethiopia to secure access to the sea and diversify its access to seaports," said a statement issued by Ahmed's office. "It also strengthens their security, economic and political partnership. Furthermore, the Memorandum of Understanding also indicates the pathway [to] bolster their political and diplomatic relations," the statement said.

In a press statement sent to Addis Standard, Somaliland’s government said “this historic agreement ensures Ethiopia access to the sea for their naval forces, reciprocated by formal recognition of the republic of Somaliland, marking this as significant diplomatic milestone for our country,” the statement said. The official readout released by the Ethiopian government said the MoU will “pave the way to realize the aspiration of Ethiopia to secure access to the sea and diversify its access to seaports.” Furthermore, Redwan Hussien, National Security Advisor to PM Abiy, said the MoU will also “paves the way for accessing a leased Military base…” The office of the spokesperson of Somaliland's president posted a recording of Abdi saying that Somaliland had agreed to lease 20 kilometers of coastline along the Red Sea in Somaliland to Ethiopia. Without specifying the location of the piece of land, Abdi said Ethiopia will have a marine force base on the leased land. In return, Ethiopia will officially recognize Somaliland once the final deal is signed. He did not say when the deal will be signed.

"The Prime Minister of Ethiopia has requested from us to enter an understanding for their military to have a base on the sea as they have a maritime force," Abdi is heard saying in the recording. "And for us, Somaliland has many times been asking Ethiopia to recognize our nationhood ... as we have agreed, which is written here, we allow them 20-km [of] sea, and they will recognize Somaliland when the agreement is signed," he said.

Acknowledging PM Abiy’s “request for seaport access for their naval forces, President Muse Bihi Abdi expressed that Somaliland endured a long quest for official recognition from Ethiopia,” it said. “Today, it is with immense pride, I announce the mutually beneficial agreement between Somaliland and Ethiopia. In exchange for 20 KM sea access for the Ethiopian Naval Forces, leased for a period of 50 years, Ethiopia will formally recognize the Republic of Somaliland, setting a precedent as the first nation to extend international recognition to our country,” said President Bihi. Abdi said Ethiopia will use Berbera seaport for some of its imports. Ethiopia mainly uses the port in Djibouti. "God willing, Ethiopia will become the first country to recognize Somaliland, and we will become the first country to allow Ethiopia a 20-km sea," he said on the recording.

Ethiopia has not officially said it will recognize Somaliland. But Ahmed, who was sitting next to Abdi, did not contradict the remarks made by the president of Somaliland. The office of Ethiopia's prime minister said the signed MoU "reaffirms the principled position of the Ethiopia government to advance mutual interests through cooperation on the basis of reciprocity." "The Memorandum of Understanding ushers in a new chapter of cooperation and has a huge significance for regional integration in the horn," the statement said. "It also enables Ethiopia to enhance its role in maintaining regional peace and security."

Federal Somali lawmaker Mursal Khalif said on X that he believes Somalia "will respond appropriately to news of Ethiopia infringing on our territorial integrity." Despite the new agreement signed between Somaliland and Ethiopia, Somalia still considers Somaliland as part of Somalia. Somaliland declared separation from Somalia in May 1991 but has not yet received international recognition. Somalia rejected the MoU signed between Ethiopia and Somaliland granting Ethiopia access to the sea in return for international recognition for Somaliland. It also recalled its Ambassador to Addis Abeba, Abdullahi Warfa “for consultations.”