December 14, 2018 - Ethiopia is actively working to reinstate naval force which the country disbanded 25 years ago, Ethiopia's Ministry of Defence disclosed.
Ethiopia under then late Prime Minister of Ethiopia Meles Zenawi disbanded its navy after Eritrea seceded in 1991, making Ethiopia landlocked.
The Ethiopian Navy was established in 1955, and was a branch of the National Defense Forces until 1991.
The Ethiopian Navy, formerly known as the Imperial Ethiopian Navy until 1974, was a branch of the Ethiopian National Defense Force after it was founded in 1955 by Emperor Hailesilassie.
A committe has been established to study the establishment of naval foce, according to Chief of Special Operation Force, Lieutenant General Molla Hailemariam.
Lieutenant General Molla said that the committee is learning from other countries in the re-establishment of the force.
It is unclear where the naval force will be stationed and with which of the neighboring countries Ethiopia will partner.
The new Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed made the re-establishment of the naval force as part of his reform platform, along with a drive to transform the national defense force into a modern defense force in Africa.
Dr. Abiy Ahmed has often commented about the lack of modernization within the Ethiopian army and has vowed to revitalize it.
Part of the reform agenda is to build modern combat units, including land, air, sea, cyber, and space forces, he said.