The National: Egypt Steps Up Pressure on Ethiopia Through Regional Port Deals

Dawan Africa , 25 December, 2025 Egypt has moved to expand its regional leverage over Ethiopia by advancing port development agreements in the Horn of Africa, a strategy that underscores Cairo’s efforts to apply pressure beyond traditional diplomatic channels, according to The Abudhabai based newspaper, the National.

The report says Egypt has reached understandings to support the development of key ports in Eritrea and Djibouti, a move widely viewed as strategically significant given Ethiopia’s heavy dependence on regional ports for access to global trade routes. Ethiopia is landlocked, with the bulk of its imports and exports transiting through Djibouti.

According to The National, the port initiatives reflect Cairo’s effort to broaden its leverage at a time when negotiations with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) remain stalled. Egyptian officials have repeatedly warned that the dam poses a serious threat to downstream water security, while Addis Ababa maintains that the project is vital to its national development and energy needs.