Rather than relying on foreign navies, Horn of Africa countries must lead in stemming illicit arms inflows.
The Horn of Africa has great economic, geopolitical and security value to Africa and the world. It is near key waterways vital to international trade. The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait connects the Mediterranean and the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea in the Indian Ocean. Oil and natural gas exports from the Persian Gulf transit Bab-el-Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz en route to the Suez Canal.
Somalia has the longest coastline on the African continent, but its maritime borders are porous and affected by insecurity on land. Weapons smuggling and trafficking of drugs and other goods are relatively common here. However, the proliferation of Iranian weapons bound for Yemen that end up in Somalia shows the transnational nature of maritime crime in the Horn.because of inadequate monitoring, patrolling and enforcement capabilities by the region’s navies.
But Africa should not transfer its maritime security role to external actors. States in the Horn must take charge. The policies exist that enable them to do so despite implementation challenges.Regional initiatives such as the Djibouti Code of Conduct already list illegal activities at sea, including arms smuggling, as a significant threat. War-torn Yemen adds to the security risks. However, states have been slow to implement the code, and the amendments are not legally binding.
Proactive joint action by Horn countries is possible through the Intergovernmental Authority on Development Task Force on the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden,
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