Djibouti has officially turned down Ethiopia’s request to secure special access to the Port of Tadjourah, reaffirming its sovereign control over key strategic infrastructure in the Horn of Africa, as reported by The Eastleigh Voice.

Djibouti’s President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh stated that although Djibouti remains open to economic cooperation and port access discussions, Ethiopia’s latest proposal exceeded all previously considered agreements. According to President Guelleh, Ethiopia requested the establishment of a corridor with extraterritorial rights stretching from the Ethiopian border to Tadjourah, along with a naval base for the Ethiopian navy — a demand Djibouti categorically rejected.

President Guelleh emphasized that Ethiopia already has access to multiple ports in the region without requiring control, naming Djibouti, Berbera (Somaliland), Assab (Eritrea), and Mogadishu (Somalia) as examples. He also acknowledged Turkey’s mediation efforts as having had a positive influence on regional relations.

“We have made it clear to Addis Ababa that Djibouti is not Crimea,” he said, underlining the importance of respecting Djibouti’s sovereignty.