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Mmegi

Regional dispute threatens a global chokepoint

While Egypt is not a direct party to the dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea over the Red Sea port of Assab, the source of its strategic fears, especially of Ethiopian access to the sea and its implications for the balance of power in the region, may give Cairo an incentive to take advantage, or at least to subtly ratchet up tensions.

Ethiopia, a landlocked country since the independence of Eritrea in 1993, has always been interested in having secure access to the seas: the port of Assab was historically the key gateway to the Red Sea. Egypt’s perception of any efforts by Ethiopia to obtain a naval or commercial presence in Assab is a possible threat to Egypt’s primacy in the security of the Red Sea and the Suez Canal-related issues.

The Assab dispute

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Editor's Comment
DIS must correct costly stalemate

More than P8.1 million has already been spent, yet there appears to be no lasting solution in sight. This is not simply a dispute between the DIS and a group of officers. It is a matter of public accountability. Every pula spent by government comes from taxpayers who expect public funds to be used wisely and responsibly, especially during economic hardships faced by many.The officers exercised their constitutional right to seek justice through...

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