Ethiopia Strengthens Navy with Russian Cooperation

With the ongoing push for Ethiopia’s seaport access, the country is also advancing in the reorganization of its navy. On Friday, a Russian Navy delegation led by the Deputy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Vladimir Vorobyev, visited Ethiopian Navy facilities and training center in Bishoftu town, around 30 miles south of Addis Ababa.

During the visit, the two sides signed a cooperation agreement on training and capacity building. Russia has pledged to work with Ethiopia in its efforts to modernize its navy, following an initial visit back in 2022. With a cooperation agreement now in place, “both sides will continue to work together to strengthen the naval rebuilding that Ethiopian navy has begun and to further strengthen its readiness to protect Ethiopia’s interests in the international waters,” said Deputy Commander in charge of operations in the Ethiopian Navy, Commodore Jamal Tufisa.

While Ethiopia’s navy was originally founded in the 1950s, it had to be dissolved following Eritrea’s independence in 1993, which left Ethiopia landlocked. However, after taking office in 2018, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced he would revive the Ethiopian naval forces. At the time, Abiy said that France would assist Ethiopia in rebuilding its maritime capabilities. The following year, French President Emmanuel Macron visited Ethiopia, culminating in the signing of a defense cooperation agreement that provides a framework for France to support the reconstruction of the Ethiopian Navy.

In 2023, the Ethiopian Navy held a graduation ceremony for part of its personnel who had received training in navigation, engineering, communication, and armament. The training had been delivered by foreign and domestic instructors. The agreement with Russia shows that Ethiopia is keen to expand the pool of foreign partners available to train its navy.

The cooperation coincides with Russia’s new search for a permanent base in the Indian Ocean. Last month, Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) foreign minister Ali Youssef Ahmed said that there were no obstacles for a Russian base in Port Sudan. Partly, this has been seen as a reprieve for the Russian Mediterranean flotilla, which was forced to leave Port of Tartus, Syria. But the ongoing civil war in Sudan could delay any constructive arrangements for a foreign naval base in the country.

Top image: An aging monument to the Ethiopian Navy, Addis Ababa (Dvermierre / CC BY SA 4.0)