Affi N’Guessan backs Ethiopia’s bid for sea access
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Fanamc
Former Ivorian Prime Minister Pascal Affi N’Guessan says Ethiopia’s desire for sovereign access to the sea is legitimate. He calls for a settlement through dialogue and compromises acceptable to the parties, during an interview in Addis Ababa reported by Fanamc.
Former Ivorian Prime Minister Pascal Affi N’Guessan, president of the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI), said on 12 November 2026 in Addis Ababa that Ethiopia’s desire to obtain sovereign access to the sea was legitimate. He called for the issue to be resolved through dialogue and compromises acceptable to all parties, during an interview with local media reported by the Ethiopian agency ENA.
Pascal Affi N’Guessan said geopolitical issues should be addressed with a capacity for dialogue and foresight, particularly when they concern identity and territories. He also advocated African unity and the sharing of resources and development opportunities among the continent’s countries.
Ethiopia is seeking permanent access to the Red Sea and its Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed presents this approach as a national aspiration that should not be left to future generations. The country had administered the ports of Massawa and Assab before Eritrea’s independence and at the time had naval capabilities.
