How the Houthi Conflict Is Reshaping Africa's Red Sea Neighbors

The Houthi campaign of drone and missile attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea, ongoing since late 2023, has had outsized effects on the African countries that border this critical waterway — effects that extend beyond the immediate economic disruption of diverted shipping lanes.

Djibouti, whose economy is almost entirely dependent on its port and transit trade, has seen revenues fall as major shipping lines reroute around Africa's Cape of Good Hope. The country, which hosts US, Chinese, French, and other military bases, faces pressure to take diplomatic positions that satisfy conflicting great-power interests.

Somalia, still fragile after decades of conflict, has found the maritime disruption adding to instability in coastal communities that depend on fishing and small-scale trade. The increased naval presence in the region — including multinational anti-Houthi operations — has also complicated Somalia's own security relationships.

Eritrea and Ethiopia, both with Red Sea access concerns of their own, have taken notably cautious positions on the Houthi conflict, reflecting their need to balance relationships with Gulf states, Iran, and Western powers simultaneously.