ISTANBUL

Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie called Thursday for equal access to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean for all states, citing the seas as the “common heritage” of humanity.

“The international law maxim that defines the high seas as a common heritage of mankind and guarantees equal right of access and use to all states must be brought to reality in collaboration with other states,” Selassie told the UN General Assembly in New York.

He said no state should be excluded from development opportunities due to geography, echoing remarks in August by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries in Awaza, Turkmenistan.

Selassie vowed that the East African country would pursue a “comprehensive approach” to ensure equal development and security for all states along the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean and continue advancing its “legitimate policy objective through diplomacy and peaceful engagement.”

He said Ethiopia, as Africa’s second most populous country and one facing significant maritime threats, places high importance on the safety and security of navigation in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.

In 1991, Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia, resulting in the formation of two separate nations, but Ethiopia lost direct access to the Red Sea and key ports.

The Ethiopian head of state highlighted the role of the recently inaugurated Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in enhancing regional connectivity.

On Sept. 9, Ethiopia inaugurated the nearly $5 billion GERD, Africa’s largest hydroelectric project, marking the completion of more than a decade of construction on the Blue Nile.

Expressing concern over the dam, Egypt and Sudan argue that Ethiopia filled and began operating the dam without a legally binding water-sharing agreement, and neither attended the ceremony despite having received official invitations from Ethiopia.

“The overwhelming support and solidarity we received on the occasion of the inauguration inspired greater the first forged cooperation among the riparian countries of the Nile River,” Selassie said.

He said the “Pan-African aspiration to break the vicious cycle of underdevelopment” should unite countries in initiatives that will transform the lives of their people.

“The time is now to work towards Africa's true independence, driven by African agency and guided by the common destiny of our people,” he stressed.