Abiy Ahmed Says Ethiopian Access to Assab Port Is 'A Matter of Time'

In a nationally televised interview broadcast on Ethiopian state broadcaster ETV, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Ethiopia's loss of access to the Red Sea port of Assab after Eritrea's 1993 independence was a 'mistake' that would be 'corrected,' declaring it only 'a matter of time' before Ethiopia regains access. Abiy noted Ethiopia still routes over 90% of its trade through Djibouti. The remarks reiterate and sharpen a message Abiy has repeated since mid-2026 and land amid heightened Ethiopia-Eritrea tension, Eritrean troop movements reported near Tigray, and warnings from Asmara that it is prepared to defend itself.