Geopolitical competition among various countries is intensifying tensions across the Horn of Africa as powers vie for political influence in the region. Eritrea, a small nation ruled by long-standing autocrat Isaias Afewerki, is becoming increasingly central to these strategic calculations, controlling key coastal positions on the Red Sea including the ports of Assab and Massawa.
In July, diplomatic consultations in Cairo brought together Egypt, Somalia, Eritrea, and a high-ranking U.S. envoy to discuss security challenges in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, as well as trade facilitation. Eritrea's coastline, which stretches more than 1,000 kilometers near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, has grown more strategically important amid international trade conflicts, according to Abdurahman Sayed, director of the Horn of Africa Centre for Regional Integration in London.
"Yemen lies on the other side of the Red Sea, which makes Eritrea's location particularly interesting, as Yemen is in a state of crisis and maritime security in the region is at risk," Sayed told DW. "The only safe route in this area runs through Eritrea, where there are currently no security concerns." The Houthi militia, which officials say is backed by Iran, has been attacking merchant ships in the Red Sea from Yemen.
Eritrea's stability, despite its authoritarian governance with no elections held since the country's founding 32 years ago, makes it an attractive partner for regional powers including Saudi Arabia and Egypt, which controls the Suez Canal, according to Sayed. The Red Sea has emerged as one of the world's most important shipping routes, particularly for Gulf states including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, he added.
Ethiopia, a landlocked neighbor, has long sought greater access to the Red Sea as a trade route, particularly for oil exports. Djibouti has historically dominated regional trade logistics, but tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea over maritime access have threatened to escalate. Michael Woldemariam, a researcher at the University of Maryland and the Atlantic Council, said Eritrea is seeking partnerships to counterbalance Ethiopia's influence in the region.
