As tensions rise between Ethiopia and Eritrea over Addis Ababa’s push for access to the Red Sea, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said that if conflict were to erupt, “the result would be unambiguous,” adding that Ethiopia’s capabilities were assured and that no one could stop the country.

Addressing the House of People’s Representatives on Tuesday, Abiy said Ethiopia’s access to the sea is inevitable and called on the international community to help secure a peaceful resolution with Eritrea. He announced that he has sought mediation, particularly from the U.S. and Europe, amid rising tensions between the two neighbors.

For months, Abiy has stressed that Ethiopia must gain access to the sea, while Asmara accuses him of eyeing the Eritrean port of Assab. “We have no intention of going to war with Eritrea; on the contrary, we are confident this issue can be resolved peacefully,” the prime minister told parliamentarians.

He described Ethiopia’s loss of seaport access three decades ago as a “serious injustice” and warned that the absence of fighting does not mean peace. “If true justice is not ensured, war could break out at any moment,” he said, adding that “complete peace cannot exist under an unfair and unjust ruling.”

Abiy framed Ethiopia’s pursuit of Red Sea access as a matter of law, history, geography, and economics. He noted that the country’s loss of access was never formalized, saying there is “no official record or institutional decision” and that neither the cabinet nor parliament ever authorized it.