The recent rhetoric emerging from the Prosperity Party (PP) leadership regarding Ethiopia’s alleged “historical right” to a maritime outlet represents not only a distortion of history but also a direct threat to regional peace and international law. An Eritrean proverb loosely translated as, “A butterfly that claims to cover the earth cannot even cover its own back-side.” aptly characterizes the regime’s reckless ambition to secure a “sovereign window to the sea”—an aspiration loudly proclaimed in recent months and amplified with greater intensity.
This campaign, sustained by senior officials, party cadres, and social media activists, is deliberately packaged as a “legitimate national aspiration.” Through speeches, media outlets, celebratory events, and orchestrated narratives, an illegal and destabilizing agenda is being presented as a normal and inevitable policy objective.
By cloaking falsehoods in nationalist rhetoric, the Prosperity Party seeks to normalize what is fundamentally an unlawful claim.
The rhetoric has escalated dangerously. Officials have openly suggested that access to the Red Sea would be secured “if not by diplomacy, then by force.” In connection with the inauguration of the Grand Renaissance Dam, the Prime Minister declared: “The millennial dream of the Nile has been realized; the Red Sea issue is only a matter of time.” Others have invoked Ethiopia’s imperial past, claiming that the Red Sea “was part of Ethiopia thirty years ago.” Such assertions are not only historically inaccurate but also deeply destabilizing, as they attempt to recast illegal ambitions as rational state policy under the guise of geopolitical necessity.
This narrative seeks to exploit the darkest chapters of the region’s modern history. By glorifying unlawful acts of the past, Prosperity Party officials are actively undermining the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and international law—the very foundations of regional stability. Efforts to legitimize past illegal practices amount to political defilement and serve as a dangerous red line that must not be crossed.
The timing of these claims is particularly troubling. Ethiopia is currently grappling with one of its gravest crises: a failing economy heavily dependent on IMF and World Bank intervention, one of the highest costs of living globally, and widespread internal conflicts causing mass displacement, destruction, and poverty. Instead of addressing these urgent realities, the Prosperity regime appears intent on diverting public attention through external adventurism—staging grand conferences and nationalist campaigns that portray internal fragility as external strength. Such tactics are characteristic of failing governments that, having lost domestic legitimacy, seek to rally support under the pretext of foreign threats.
It is important to underline that Eritrea has no objection to genuine regional cooperation. Constructive relations with neighbours are not only possible but desirable. However, true solidarity can only be achieved through mutual respect, legal clarity, and collective commitment to stability—not through unilateralism, vandalism, or territorial claims.
Ethiopia’s strategy of “forced ownership” poses risks far beyond its borders. It exacerbates mistrust among states in an already fragile region, undermines opportunities for cooperation, and introduces a new layer of volatility to a region long plagued by instability. Neighbours who have already experienced Ethiopia’s breaches of trust cannot reasonably be expected to accommodate such reckless ambitions, the consequences of which would inevitably be severe.
These threats—aimed directly at Eritrea’s sovereignty and territorial integrity—constitute clear violations of the African Union Constitutive Act, the UN Charter, and the fundamental principles of international law. Any attempt to legitimize or tolerate such behaviour not only undermines Eritrea’s sovereign rights but also erodes the international norms designed to prevent conflict.
Ultimately, the Prosperity Party’s drive to secure a “sovereign window to the sea” is both irresponsible and unsustainable. It represents a toxic blend of historical distortion, economic negligence, and deliberate misdirection. Instead of endangering regional peace to prolong its own political survival, Ethiopia’s leadership must confront its domestic crises, work towards reconciliation and stability, and rebuild public trust. For the sake of Ethiopia and the wider region, this reckless agenda must be rejected and contained