Addis Ababa — The government of Ethiopia is working to increase the utilization of ports in the region and gain access to the sea, according to Fesseha Shawel, Director General for African Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).

Fesseha recalled that Ethiopia's policy since 1991 has been to have multiple alternative ports and access to the sea.

Ethiopia needs to have access to the sea through peaceful manner in a negotiated settlement; otherwise, we will find it very difficult to go the way our government is envisioning, the director underlined.

"Ethiopia cannot continue being a landlocked country for the coming generation. The economy is expanding and the population is growing. Our government and the prime minister have made it very clear that we have to have access to the port. We need to get a guarantee for ports and access to the sea."

Ethiopia was not able to utilize port alternatives in the region due to lack of peace and security in the region, he said, adding we are not using them to the fullest extent as we want to.

As we pursue our own interests, "We have to engage the outside world on the basis of the terms and conditions of our national interest. That has always been the policy of the government of Ethiopia, current and past."

Foreign countries are showing great interest to cooperate with Ethiopia more than ever before where the visits of heads of state, prime ministers, foreign ministers and other high ranking government officials to Ethiopia from near and far are evident, he said.

After the Pretoria peace agreement, the international community is reengaging with Ethiopia, he said, adding and they all witnessed that Ethiopia is on the right track.

The director general concluded that all of these countries are keen to bolster economic relations with Ethiopia, "if they benefit, we benefit, that is why they are coming, and we welcome them."