This essay, "Which Way to the Sea, Please?" by Nuraddin Farah, examines the historical and persistent Ethiopian desire for direct access to the sea. Farah traces this ambition through the actions and declarations of various Ethiopian leaders, including Kings Yohannis and Menelik, and Emperor Haile Sellassie, highlighting their repeated attempts to secure coastal territories or port access through diplomacy, force, or appeals to European powers. The text emphasizes how Ethiopian leaders leveraged religious solidarity with Christian Europe and sought military aid to achieve their coastal aims, often at the expense of neighboring, less armed populations like the Somalis and Eritreans. Ultimately, Farah suggests that this historical "lust" for the coast continues to fuel regional conflicts, as exemplified by modern Ethiopian rhetoric, indicating a lack of original solutions to an enduring geographical challenge.
