Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos (PhD) stated that a nation exceeding 130 million people requires reliable maritime access to sustain its economic growth and development.

In an address at the Foreign Policy Forum, Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos (PhD) reinforced this economic necessity, emphatically describing durable and secure access to the sea as an "existential matter for Ethiopia."

Shifting focus to regional security, Minister Gedion addressed the long-strained relationship with Eritrea, stating that Ethiopia has employed "maximum restraint" despite a series of provocations. He delivered a clear warning that this restraint "should not and cannot be taken as indefinite or unconditional." 

The Minister concluded by urging the international community to encourage Asmara to adopt a constructive approach that aligns with the goals of regional peace and integration.