Egypt has agreed to develop strategic seaports in Eritrea and Djibouti, a move widely seen as increasing pressure on landlocked Ethiopia amid the ongoing Nile water dispute, Abu Dhabi-based newspaper The National reported, citing sources in Cairo.
Under discreet agreements signed without fanfare, Egypt will upgrade the Red Sea port of Assab in Eritrea and the Gulf of Aden port of Doraleh in Djibouti, expanding their capacity and creating berths for warships, as well as facilities to host small but elite military contingents.
Ethiopia, which borders both Eritrea and Djibouti, is heavily reliant on Doraleh for the transit of goods and has long opposed efforts by neighboring countries to establish a territorial or military presence on the Red Sea, its main maritime link.
Both agreements include infrastructure upgrades to allow Egyptian warships including destroyers, submarines, and troop and helicopter carriers to refuel and resupply at the two ports.
In mid-November 2025, Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos (PhD) reaffirmed that securing access to Assab Port remains a strategic national priority.
