Addis Ababa (AMECO)- A new scholarly study launched in Addis Ababa has framed the contested Wolkait-Tegede-Humera corridor as Ethiopia’s strategic “Strait of Hormuz”, arguing that the borderland is vital to the country’s national security, economic survival and regional geopolitical balance.
Written by Dr Chuchu Alebachew, The Tekeze Politics was unveiled at a ceremony attended by government ministers, members of parliament, university presidents and senior academics. The 223-page volume—structured into four parts and 20 chapters—aims to provide policy-makers with historical and geopolitical analysis regarding northern Ethiopia’s security perimeter.
Drawing parallels with critical global chokepoints, Dr Chuchu argues that just as disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz destabilise global energy markets, control of the Wolkait area dictates the structural stability of the Ethiopian state. The text traces international interest in the region back to 19th-century British imperial strategy, noting that its proximity to the Middle East and the adjacent Al-Fashaga border area continues to attract competing global and regional powers.
Rather than treating the Tekeze River simply as a body of water, the book characterises it as the nation’s “security fence and pillar of sovereignty”. The study examines the complex dynamics of the region through the lens of national security, hydro-politics and economic protection, tracing administrative forms from the ancient Aksumite era to the modern state.
The author presents evidence intended to assist policy-makers in countering political narratives that challenge Ethiopian sovereignty, arguing that securing this strategic corridor is essential for long-term stability in the Horn of Africa.
