National Security Effects of Ethiopia's Landlockedness

The breakaway of Eritrea from Ethiopia in the early 1990s left the latter short of open access to the sea.Thenceforth, Ethiopia's landlockedness has adversely affected its economic and politico-military security despite measures taken by the EPRDF regime. The work confirms that high port fees and dues and high transport and traffic costs are the major obstacles jeopardizing Ethiopia's ability to sustain economic development. Ethiopia's short of direct access to the sea also severely affected the internal relationships of actors within the state with substantial effects on the stability and legitimacy of the state and regime in power and the country's political leverage in its relations with immediate neighbors, the west and the Middle East. Moreover, Ethiopia's offensive and defensive ability is affected by its short of access to the sea as it relates to the loss of its one of the three components in the military system, the Navy, whose importance now is underscored by the proliferation of pirates in the Red Sea area. The book provides an insight on the multifarious security predicaments of Ethiopia's landlockdness for readers, researchers and policy decision makers.