The Rights, Interests, and Strategic Approaches of Landlocked States in the Maritime Domain: The Case of Ethiopia

Abstract

Literature pertaining to maritime security often focuses on the interests and concerns of coastal states, while those of landlocked states are either overlooked or treated as secondary. When scholars do consider the interests of landlocked states, the studies tend to explore their role primarily in the context of trade and conflict or disputes over sea access, while limited attention is paid to their broader maritime interests or the strategies employed to safeguard these interests. This article seeks to address this gap by providing a more comprehensive analysis of the rights and interests of landlocked states in maritime contexts and looks to Africa to draw examples. It begins with an exploration of the rights afforded to landlocked states under international law, particularly via the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The article then examines the various maritime interests of these states and posits several strategies that landlocked states employ to assert their rights and protect their interests. Finally, it utilises Ethiopia as an illustrative case to demonstrate how these strategies are put into practice.