An Ethiopian navy backed by British basing rights

If Ethiopia gained a Somali coastline, how could it protect sea access and deter Italy from returning?

It could buy British destroyers and submarines and reinforce them by granting the Royal Navy Indian Ocean basing rights.

Ethiopia could buy destroyers and submarines from Britain rather than attempt to create a major fleet from scratch. It could then offer basing rights to the Royal Navy's Indian Ocean force. The local vessels would protect access and impose costs close to the coast, while British presence deterred a larger return by Italy. A small state's naval security may depend more on access agreements than on fleet size alone.