Djibouti rejects Ethiopia’s request for port corridor, naval base

[Deeq A.]

Djibouti has turned down Ethiopia’s request to secure special access to the Port of Tadjourah, affirming its sovereign control of strategic infrastructure as competition for ports intensifies in the Horn of Africa region.

According to President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, Ethiopia sent a delegation requesting the creation of a corridor from its border to the port, along with rights to establish a naval base there.

Guelleh clarified that while Djibouti had previously been open to discussions on economic cooperation and port access, Ethiopia’s request went far beyond what had ever been considered and was therefore outright rejected.

“The Ethiopians sent us a delegation with a proposal that we could not accept: to establish a corridor with extraterritoriality between the Ethiopian border and Tadjourah and to set up a naval base for their navy. This was not what we had agreed upon. Therefore, this matter is now closed,” Ismaïl told Jean Afrique.

Ethiopia, a landlocked country, has been actively looking for direct access to the sea. Last year, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed made statements suggesting Ethiopia needed such access, which raised concerns among neighbouring countries.

However, Ismaïl said relations have calmed down since then, thanks in part to Turkey’s help in getting both sides to talk peacefully.

Ismaïl also pointed out that Ethiopia already has access to several ports in the region, including in Djibouti, Berbera (Somaliland), Assab (Eritrea) and Mogadishu (Somalia), without needing to control them.

“I believe that Abiy Ahmed has understood that this claim cannot be framed within a power struggle. Ethiopia can access the ports of Assab, Djibouti, Berbera, or Mogadishu without undermining the existence of its neighbours,” he said.

“The mediation undertaken by Turkey has played a positive role in this regard. As for us, we have clearly communicated to Addis Ababa that Djibouti is not Crimea.”

Djibouti’s decision also reflects its larger policy of standing up against outside interference in its affairs. In 2018, Djibouti cancelled a major port deal, involving the Doraleh Container Terminal, with Dubai-based company DP World, saying it was no longer in the country’s best interest.

Even after international courts ruled in favour of DP World, ordering Djibouti to pay $385 million (Sh49.7 billion) for breach of contract, the country has refused to reverse its decision.

President Ismaïl strongly criticised the company, saying it tries to force its way into other countries, destabilising them in the process.

“We refuse the dictates of DP World and have no intention of yielding to them. Furthermore, I believe, and I am far from being alone in this view, that their overall policy is profoundly destabilising for the entire region,” he said.

Eastleighvoice

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