By: Dawan Africa

Egypt is expanding its strategic influence in the Horn of Africa by advancing port development agreements in Eritrea and Djibouti, a move that analysts see as an effort to increase pressure on neighboring Ethiopia. According to a report, the agreements are part of Cairo's broader strategy to strengthen its regional leverage at a time when long-running negotiations with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) remain deadlocked.

As a landlocked country, Ethiopia depends heavily on regional ports—particularly Djibouti—for access to global trade. By supporting port development in neighboring states, Egypt is positioning itself to potentially influence critical logistics corridors, thereby gaining additional strategic leverage in the ongoing dispute over the dam. Cairo has consistently warned that the GERD poses a significant threat to its water security, while Addis Ababa insists the project is essential for its development and energy needs.

While no formal military dimension has been announced, the port initiatives signal a shift in Egypt’s regional posture, linking infrastructure investment to geopolitical calculations in the Horn of Africa. The move underscores how control over maritime access and trade routes is becoming an increasingly central element of power politics in the region, as Egypt seeks to broaden its strategic options beyond traditional diplomacy.