The US military’s Africa Command, AFRICOM, has described Eritrea as one of the only stable countries in the troubled Red Sea region and the only nation in the Horn of Africa that has maintained peace, underscoring its readiness to contribute to joint efforts for regional stability.
AFRICOM highlighted Eritrea’s vital geostrategic position, noting its 2,234-kilometer Red Sea coastline and its location opposite Yemen at the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, where maritime security is at risk. It stated that the only safe route in the area runs through Eritrean waters, where there are currently no security concerns, and that Eritrea’s growing importance stems from this stability amid surrounding conflict. AFRICOM also pointed to July’s diplomatic discussions in Cairo involving Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia, and the United States as evidence of Eritrea’s expanding role in coordinating responses to security challenges in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, and referenced US Senior Adviser for Africa Massad Boulos’s meeting with Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh, where both sides explored enhanced cooperation on trade, security, and lasting peace in the region.