File Photo/Somali Times
Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki said the United Arab Emirates of being behind Ethiopia’s “hand-wringing” maritime dispute, revealing that he personally rejected an Ethiopian offer that he said would have destroyed the economy of neighbouring Djibouti.
Speaking in an interview with state media, Isaias offered a new and broader perspective on the growing regional tension describing Ethiopia’s actions as not domestic political decisions but part of a broader geopolitical “daydream” led by the Emirati president.
According to Isaias, Ethiopia once proposed a proposal to completely move away from the Port of Djibouti through which it handles more than 95% of its trade and to divert all imports to the Eritrean port of Asaba.
He said the plan, if implemented, would have devastated Djibouti’s economy, which he estimated earns $4 billion a year from Ethiopian cargo.
“We told them that we will never consider such a plan to harm a neighbouring country,” Isaias said, casting Eritrea as a stabilizing force in a region of mounting tensions.
The UAE’s Ports Challenge
Isaias added, the UAE of being the real driving force behind Ethiopia’s port ambitions, including the controversial deal with Hargeisa administration North of Somalia.
“In reality, these agendas are not those of the Prosperity Party,” he said, referring to Ethiopia’s ruling party, “but rather the dream of the UAE President who wants to create a port hub across the region under his control.”
The UAE has significantly expanded its economic and military influence in the Horn of Africa. Its global logistics company, DP World, operates and is expanding the Port of Berbera in North Somalia the port that is the centrepiece of the recent deal with Ethiopia.
In January 2024, Ethiopia signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Hargeisa administration North of Somalia to lease 20 kilometres (12 miles) of coastline for use as a naval base and commercial services. The agreement, which also indicated the possibility of recognizing Hargeisa administration , was quickly condemned by Somalia, which described it as an attack on its sovereignty.
Isaias, who has ruled Eritrea with an iron fist since the country gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993, linked the current repression to Eritrea’s struggle during the colonial era.
He argued that the idea of giving Ethiopia “independent maritime access” was the same as the reason used to deny Eritrea its independence after World War II. Instead, the United Nations incorporated the territory into a federal system with Ethiopia in 1952 — a move that ultimately led to decades of war.
“We must remember that our right to independence was denied to us in the 1940s, using similar pretexts,” he said.
By publicly rejecting Ethiopia’s alleged plans for Djibouti and exposing what he called foreign interference, Isaias is trying to reshape Eritrea’s role in the region.
He is portraying his country as a principled opponent of destabilizing plots — a stark contrast to his foreign reputation as a secretive, authoritarian leader.
His remarks, released at a time of rising tensions with Addis Ababa, suggest that the growing conflict is much bigger than access to the sea. It is a power struggle over influence, alliances, and the future shape of the Horn of Africa