In spring 2019 World Politics Review argued that Abiy Ahmed’s domestic rupture, Eritrea thaw, and promised elections came alongside a sharper turn toward wealthy Gulf and Turkish partners across the Red Sea.
The Horn had already been stitched by Gulf and Turkish outreach before Abiy. His rise accelerated a break from older Ethiopian caution about letting Red Sea capitals set terms for ports, finance, and security friendships.
Middle East money is never free. It arrives with bases, loans, religious soft power, and expectations about how Addis votes when Gulf rivalries heat up.
As geopolitics archive, the WPR essay still frames a live question: under Abiy Ahmed’s regime, how much Ethiopian sovereignty is leased when Red Sea patrons write the checks.
Sources: World Politics Review