Egypt Plotted to Cut Ethiopia Off From the Red Sea – Former Water Minister Shiferaw

**Former Ethiopian Water Minister Accuses Egypt of Plotting to Deny Ethiopia Red Sea Access**

*Addis Ababa, 1 September 2026* – In an interview with the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA), former water minister and former ambassador Shiferaw Jarso alleged that Egyptian politicians and their allies have long sought to undermine Ethiopia’s strategic interests by preventing the landlocked country from gaining access to the Red Sea.

Jarso, who served as Ethiopia’s water minister and later as ambassador to the United Nations, said Ethiopia’s position as the source of the Abay (Blue Nile) River “has fueled plots by Egyptian politicians and their allies to weaken the nation and deny it Red Sea access.” He added that Egypt continues to “actively seek to undermine Ethiopia’s strategic interests in the Red Sea by exploiting internal divisions and supporting forces that weaken the country.”

Linking the issue to the 1993 secession of Eritrea, Jarso argued that “both external actors and internal political forces contributed to the loss of Ethiopia’s maritime and territorial interests.” He cited historical Egyptian involvement in the Eritrean question, stating that “Cairo was overtly supporting separatist forces and political projects intended to weaken Ethiopia and constrain its regional influence.”

According to Jarso, former Egyptian foreign minister Boutros Boutros‑Ghali, who later became UN Secretary‑General, “played a pivotal role in advancing the Eritrean secession project to permanently weaken Ethiopia.” He described the loss of the ports of Massawa and Assab as a “historic injustice” that has imposed “profound economic and strategic costs” on Ethiopia for nearly three decades.

Jarso emphasized that Ethiopia’s lack of direct sea access is “an existential and generational issue” tied to national security, economic growth, sovereignty and regional stability. He recalled that before Eritrea’s independence, Ethiopia administered the ports of Massawa and Assab and maintained naval capabilities.

“The Ethiopian government’s diplomatic efforts to bring the issue of sea access to greater international attention should continue,” Jarso said, urging that the matter be pursued “through peaceful and legally grounded channels.” He called for any resolution to be based on dialogue, mutual understanding, international law and mutually beneficial arrangements, rather than confrontation.

While Jarso’s statements reflect his personal assessment of Ethiopia’s historical and current geopolitical challenges, they have not been independently verified. No official response from the Egyptian government or other regional actors was available at the time of publication.

Article source: allafrica.com | Image credit: ENA English