Israel has clearly demonstrated its support for Ethiopia’s efforts to secure access to the Red Sea, with Israel’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Avraham Neguise, stating that supporting this initiative is official Israeli policy.
In an interview with the Addis Ababa-based Ethiopian News Agency (ENA), Neguise stated that Israel supports Ethiopia in its efforts to secure access to the sea.
“Israel supports Ethiopia on this matter. This is Israel’s clear policy,” the ambassador said. He noted that Israel views Ethiopia’s access to the sea as a factor linked to the economic and security stability of the Red Sea region, adding that strengthening Ethiopia could benefit regional security.
“Strengthening and empowering Ethiopia, as well as fostering stability in the Red Sea, is in the interest of all parties—not just Ethiopia,” Neguise said during the interview.
He stated that maritime access could help Ethiopia strengthen its economy, safeguard its sovereignty, and play a significant role in regional security. However, the ambassador did not specify a particular port that Israel supports, nor did he clarify whether the support concerns a commercial route, a naval base, or another type of agreement.
Neguise also emphasized the importance of Red Sea security, noting that threats in that waterway do not merely affect the Horn of Africa and the Middle East but can impact the global economy. “If the Red Sea is unstable and terrorists carry out attacks there, it will not just affect the Horn of Africa or the Middle East; it will harm the entire global economy,” he said.
The Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait constitute one of the world’s most vital trade routes, connecting the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea, and the Suez Canal. Recent attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on commercial vessels have disrupted trade flows, forcing some ships to take longer routes around southern Africa. The Israeli ambassador stated that his country is ready to share its expertise with Ethiopia regarding counter-terrorism and addressing security threats, arguing that security and economic development are closely linked.
Ethiopia, which has been landlocked since Eritrea gained independence in 1993, routes more than 95 percent of its import and export trade through the Ethiopia-Djibouti corridor, according to World Bank data
