Ethiopia is nearing completion of a new naval base in the Janmeda neighborhood of Addis Ababa, despite being a landlocked country with no direct access to the sea. According to the Ministry of Defense, the facility is now 95% complete, reflecting the government’s long-term ambition to develop a capable naval force and secure future maritime access.
The new naval command center — constructed on a 3-hectare site — includes multi-story administrative buildings, a medical center, conference halls, and recreational facilities. While Ethiopia has not had a coastline since Eritrea’s independence in 1993, the project signals a strategic shift in military posture and regional diplomacy.
Defense officials have described the base as a critical step in building a navy that can eventually operate from ports in countries with which Ethiopia has bilateral agreements. In March 2025, Ethiopia signed a naval cooperation agreement with Russia, including provisions for training and technical support. A senior Ethiopian military delegation visited Moscow to finalize the details.
Ethiopia’s ambitions to reestablish a naval presence have coincided with renewed efforts to secure legal sea access, a matter Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has framed as essential for national development and security. In a televised interview with the state broadcaster EBC, Abiy reiterated that Ethiopia’s quest for access to the sea is not new but rather an enduring challenge that has constrained the country’s trade and growth.
“Ethiopia has lacked a port for nearly thirty years. The need for sea access is not a new demand but a strategic imperative,” Abiy said. “For our economic destiny and national defense, we must pursue this through dialogue and mutual understanding.”
However, Ethiopia’s ambitions have stirred concern in neighboring countries. Tensions flared earlier this year following remarks by Prime Minister Abiy suggesting Ethiopia’s right to “access to the sea” by any means necessary — comments interpreted by some as signaling possible coercive diplomacy or territorial claims.
Ethiopia has since moved to clarify its stance, emphasizing that it seeks port access through peaceful and legal channels, including leasing arrangements or joint development of maritime infrastructure with neighboring states.
Still, relations with coastal neighbors like Eritrea, Djibouti, and Somalia remain sensitive. While Ethiopia enjoys relative cooperation with Djibouti, where the majority of its imports and exports pass through, discussions about alternative routes — particularly involving the Red Sea corridor and the Berbera port in Somaliland — have created friction in the region.
Security analysts say the completion of Ethiopia’s naval command base in the capital reflects not only an aspiration to project future maritime power but also a shift in strategic thinking amid an evolving geopolitical environment in the Horn of Africa.
As Ethiopia continues to invest in military modernization and regional diplomacy, the question of how and where it will ultimately gain sustainable sea access remains one of the most pressing and controversial issues in East Africa today.