President Taye presses Ethiopia's case for sea access and Security Council reform at the UN

Ethiopia's President Taye Atske-Selassie told the general debate of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly that the country's efforts to build a strong economy cannot generate sustained development without reliable and dependable access to the sea. The Ethiopian News Agency said he presented the question as part of wider regional connectivity covering security, trade, infrastructure, ports, logistics and economic integration across the Horn of Africa. He also renewed Ethiopia's call for reform of the UN Security Council, arguing that Africa cannot remain structurally under-represented in decisions on international peace and security, and endorsed the African Common Position for two permanent African seats with veto power and additional non-permanent seats. He asked how the denial of equal representation to 1.6 billion Africans could be justified.