Borkena
Toronto – Ethiopian Defense Force reported that it has inaugurated Navy Headquarter. The facility is built in the capital Addis Ababa, Janmeda area.
Defense Chief of Staff, Field Marshal Birhanu Jula and several other senior military commanders attended the inauguration event. A day before the event, the military officers held a meeting with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
The event was covered by state-owned media outlets, and is said to be over the security situation in the country. However, there are unconfirmed reports emerging on social media that the Prime Minister has ordered the commanders to be ready for a mission. There are speculations that the order could be for a possible conflict with Eritrea over the port of Assab.
On the same day, a navy training center was launched in Debre Zeit (Bishoftu) – about 44 kilometers south east of the capital Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia has been without a navy for over three decades. Its navy was demobilized after Ethiopia was reduced to a landlocked status following Eritrea’ succession in 1993.
This week, two senior defense force commanders made headlines in Ethiopian news outlets for their remarks over the port of Assab which is currently within Eritrea’s recognized territory.
Major General Teshome Gemechu, one of them, claimed that Assab had an autonomous status at the time of Eritrean referendum, and that the then transitional government did not have a constitutional right to hand over Assab to Eritrea. Eritrea has refuted the claim. Details available here
The other military officer is Brigadier General Bulti Tadesse. He is head of Defense Force War College. He spoke to journalists on Friday. He is cited as saying, “our eyes are on the Red Sea. Our heart is on Assab.”
It is unclear if today’s inauguration of the Naval headquarter was scheduled earlier or if it is deliberately planned to be part of the narrative on Access to the sea.
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I have a fond memory of the previous Ethiopian Navy of the late Emperor. One morning in the early 1960’s in the former British Protectorate of Aden, my adoptee uncle woke me up to tell me ‘my cousins’ were in town. To him everyone from Ethiopia and for that matter from Djibouti and Somalia was my cousin which I happily accepted. It was group of Ethiopian naval officers who were shopping around in the sprawling city of Aden during their R&R break. I remember their beautiful white uniform. They were tall and with athletic physique. They stopped by our shop looking for anything they will take back to their girlfriends and family members. My uncle helped them find everything they wanted to buy from our shop and those of his friends. During their short stay at our shop, we were able to strike a good conversation in English and with one of them even in Oromiffaa who told me he was born and raised in Shewa region. I was dazzled by their beautiful uniform and their show of confidence. I tell you, the late Emperor knew how to build an army.
Fate has it that many years later I was able to meet one of them who came here for further training and decided to stay. At that time he used to live in the Midwest. One of the first countrymen I met when I came here in the 1970’s.was also a member of the late Emperor’s armed forces who decided to go AWOL. He was the one who located that Petty Officer for me. We had a joyful reunion during one of my working visits to the Midwest in the late 1970’s. He was married by then with 5 kids already. We kept in touch for many years until he left to be with The Good Lord several years ago.
I’m still here with The Good Lord blessings so I can mix it up with you young folks. Praise The Almighty Our Creator for that! Alhamdulillah!!!