Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed insisted that Ethiopia would not pursue its interests “through war” after previous remarks about seeking access to the Red Sea raised regional concerns. Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous country with around 120 million people, lost its coastline after Eritrea formally declared independence in 1993 following a three-decade war. It had enjoyed direct access to a port in Eritrea until the two countries went to war in 1998-2000 and since then has relied largely on Djibouti for imports and exports.

Source : Zawya