Is it right for Ethiopia to claim whatever it desires?
Posted: 18 Feb 2026, 06:43
Ephrem Madebo
@GTWTW_Now
The question of Ethiopia’s access to the sea has dominated public debate over the past two years. Some argue that Ethiopia must secure access “by any means,” while others insist that, although access is important, it must be achieved through negotiation and cooperation with neighboring states.
But this issue isn’t only geopolitical or economic; it’s also moral. If morality rests on the twin pillars of the right and the good, then loving Ethiopia does not automatically mean endorsing every action taken in its name. We have to ask: Is it right for Ethiopia to claim whatever it desires? And equally, is something good simply because it benefits us?
Wanting access to the sea may reflect a legitimate national interest, but desire alone does not create moral entitlement. What is “good” for Ethiopia—economic growth, strategic security, national pride—does not automatically make every method of achieving it “right.” A morally grounded approach requires respecting the rights and sovereignty of neighboring countries while pursuing Ethiopia’s own well‑being.
In other words, the real ethical challenge is not whether Ethiopia should have access to the sea, but how Ethiopia should pursue it. A nation’s moral character is shaped not only by its goals, but by the means it chooses to reach them.
https://x.com/GTWTW_Now/status/2023906185909264573
@GTWTW_Now
The question of Ethiopia’s access to the sea has dominated public debate over the past two years. Some argue that Ethiopia must secure access “by any means,” while others insist that, although access is important, it must be achieved through negotiation and cooperation with neighboring states.
But this issue isn’t only geopolitical or economic; it’s also moral. If morality rests on the twin pillars of the right and the good, then loving Ethiopia does not automatically mean endorsing every action taken in its name. We have to ask: Is it right for Ethiopia to claim whatever it desires? And equally, is something good simply because it benefits us?
Wanting access to the sea may reflect a legitimate national interest, but desire alone does not create moral entitlement. What is “good” for Ethiopia—economic growth, strategic security, national pride—does not automatically make every method of achieving it “right.” A morally grounded approach requires respecting the rights and sovereignty of neighboring countries while pursuing Ethiopia’s own well‑being.
In other words, the real ethical challenge is not whether Ethiopia should have access to the sea, but how Ethiopia should pursue it. A nation’s moral character is shaped not only by its goals, but by the means it chooses to reach them.
https://x.com/GTWTW_Now/status/2023906185909264573
