France signals support for Ethiopia’s maritime ambition

France has reaffirmed its support for Ethiopia’s pursuit of maritime access, describing the country’s quest as legitimate while stressing that any solution must be achieved through “peaceful dialogue, consultation, and full respect for international law.”

In an interview with The Reporter, the French Ambassador to Ethiopia Alexis Lamek said President Emmanuel Macron had already outlined France’s position during his visit to Addis Ababa last year. Macron, he recalled, made clear that it is “perfectly legitimate for a country to diversify its access to the sea,” provided the process respects international legal frameworks and the sovereignty of neighboring states.

The ambassador placed Ethiopia’s situation within a broader historical context, pointing to Europe’s own experience with landlocked countries and disputes over maritime access. Lamek noted that sea access was once a contentious issue on the continent, including for France, but was ultimately resolved through sustained negotiation and confidence-building measures.

“In Europe today, sea access is no longer a problem precisely because discussion and building confidence, underpinned by full respect for international law, made it possible to resolve the matter,” Lamek said, adding that France and other European countries would be willing to share their experience with Ethiopia and the wider region.

Addressing how France envisions supporting Ethiopia’s maritime aspirations while maintaining regional stability, Lamek noted the importance of mutual benefit and trust among all stakeholders. While acknowledging the complexity of the issue, he argued that workable solutions are possible if parties engage in open dialogue and pursue arrangements that serve shared interests.

“Without trust, without confidence, you cannot establish this,” he said. “But trust is something that can be built. It can be constructed.”

Lamek also responded to concerns raised by some neighboring countries, particularly Eritrea, where Ethiopia’s maritime ambitions are often portrayed as a potential trigger for conflict. From a diplomatic standpoint, he rejected the notion that Ethiopia’s pursuit of sea access necessarily leads to war.

“To my knowledge, Ethiopia has not waged any war, and that is a very good thing,” he said, referring to recent remarks by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to Parliament in which the premier stressed that he did not want to see loss of life over the issue of maritime access.

He maintained that both Ethiopia’s request for sea access and the security concerns of neighboring states are legitimate, arguing that such differences can always be addressed through negotiation and consultation. “There is nothing that cannot be solved through discussion,” Lamek said.

On France’s military cooperation with Ethiopia, particularly its support for the establishment of an Ethiopian navy, the ambassador rejected claims that this cooperation is linked to Ethiopia’s maritime ambitions or intended to pressure neighboring countries.

“The issue of supporting Ethiopia to build a navy is not connected to the question of sea access; it is unrelated,” he said, describing the development of a navy as a legitimate long-term undertaking. While Ethiopia’s naval project remains in its early stages, he said it is being led by capable professionals. Lamek added that by the time Ethiopia’s navy reaches full operational capacity, the question of maritime access would likely already have been resolved through dialogue and trust-building measures.

From January through early 2024, Ethiopia pursued a diplomatic track aimed at advancing its long-standing objective of securing reliable access to the sea. Parliamentary delegations from Addis Ababa’s foreign affairs and defence committees initiated formal engagements with French counterparts, using these exchanges to outline Ethiopia’s strategic case for diversified port access and to raise the idea of developing maritime security capabilities.

A further diplomatic opening emerged when President Macron explicitly endorsed Ethiopia’s pursuit of sea access, reiterating the need for adherence to international law and respect for the sovereignty of neighboring states. His remarks, delivered after talks with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, underlines that French backing was conditional on negotiated and lawful outcomes rather than unilateral action.

At the same time, Paris has articulated its support for Ethiopia’s maritime ambitions in normative terms, stressing that any solution must be negotiated, respect the sovereignty of coastal states, and comply fully with international law.

Ethiopia’s diplomatic outreach, and France’s endorsement of Ethiopia’s quest are unfolding against a complex regional backdrop. Ethiopia has framed its pursuit of maritime access as an “economic and logistical necessity,” while repeatedly emphasizing negotiation and legal processes. France, for its part, has stated that it supports Ethiopia’s objective in principle, provided any outcome is achieved through dialogue and respect for international law.

Regional reactions remain mixed. Eritrean officials have previously expressed concern that discussions around Ethiopian maritime access could have security implications, while Djibouti has continued to stress its sovereignty and its role as a key transit and security hub in the Red Sea region. Somalia maintains a cautious engagement on the issue of sea access, as Somaliland’s memorandum of understanding with Ethiopia remains uncertain.

At the same time, multiple external actors — including Turkey, China, the United States, and several Gulf petrostates — maintain military and security engagements in the broader Red Sea and Horn of Africa region. French officials have consistently stated that their support for Ethiopia’s maritime aspirations does not extend to unilateral actions and is anchored in negotiated solutions and international law.