By HAN News Desk
ASMARA — Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki has urged Somalia and other Horn of Africa nations to take the lead in protecting their coastlines and maritime territories, warning against growing foreign interference in the Red Sea and the wider Horn of Africa region.
In a rare and extensive interview with Egypt’s Al-Qahira Television, President Isaias discussed the rising tensions in the Red Sea, regional instability, and the intensifying international competition for influence in one of the world’s most strategic waterways. The interview, which lasted more than 20 minutes, covered a wide range of security and geopolitical issues.
President Isaias, who has ruled Eritrea since it gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993, said much of the turmoil in the Horn of Africa stems from external interference by global and regional powers pursuing their own interests. He argued that the conflicts currently gripping the region are not merely internal but are deeply connected to global rivalries.
“The conflicts in this region are not purely internal; they are regional and even global in nature,” he said, citing ongoing crises in Somalia, Ethiopia, and South Sudan. He added that the presence of competing foreign powers — each seeking military and strategic advantages along the Red Sea — has worsened instability instead of fostering peace.
Speaking about Somalia, President Isaias described it as one of the most strategically located nations in Africa due to its long coastline of more than 3,300 kilometres along the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden. “Somalia is a country with a coastline extending over 3,300 kilometres. This strategic location has made the country vulnerable to instability,” he said.
He stressed that Somalia’s instability is not only the result of internal problems but is part of a broader regional and international context in which external actors exploit local divisions. “The instability in Somalia is not only homegrown; it is regional and international,” he said, warning that Somalia’s maritime resources and position make it a target of global competition.
President Isaias also spoke about ethnic and political divisions across the Horn of Africa, saying identity-based politics have worsened fragmentation and prolonged conflict. “The ethnic divisions we have seen over the past 30 years have resulted in fragmentation and instability,” he said. “South Sudan, which separated from Sudan, has become a nation crippled by internal wars and lacking stability.”
He called on regional governments to reject divisive politics and instead work together toward collective security, regional cooperation, and the protection of their shared maritime interests.
