ASMARA, Eritrea — Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki has warned that Somalia has become a frontline in the Red Sea’s growing power rivalries, accusing the United Arab Emirates and other foreign powers of exploiting fragile states to advance their own interests.
The veteran leader, speaking in a televised interview, said Ethiopia’s controversial maritime pact with Somaliland — granting Addis Ababa access to the Red Sea in exchange for recognition — risked tearing Somalia apart.
“Somalia’s sovereignty must not be a bargaining chip,” Isaias said. “The needs of their peoples do not drive these conflicts in Somalia and Ethiopia, but by outsiders who see the Red Sea as a prize.”
UAE ambitions in the Horn
At the heart of the crisis, Isaias said, lies the UAE’s long-standing ambition to dominate the Red Sea corridor. He accused Abu Dhabi of pursuing influence since the 1970s under Sheikh Zayed, and of steadily expanding its influence through port deals, military bases, and direct intervention.
“Sudan has become a victim of foreign interference,” Isaias said, pointing to Emirati involvement on both sides of the war between rival generals. He said Abu Dhabi’s ambitions stretch from the Suez Canal down through Djibouti, Berbera, Lamu, and Dar es Salaam, reflecting a drive to control the region’s maritime lifelines.
“The turmoil in Sudan and the disputes in the Horn are part of one picture,” he said.
Isaias linked Somalia’s crisis and Sudan’s war to the wider Red Sea, describing it as a new global battleground where great powers are clashing for influence.
“The Red Sea has become a proxy arena,” he said. “The United States, Russia, China, India, Latin America, Japan, South Korea, and others are all competing for control. But the future of this region must be decided by its own people.”
He dismissed the idea that imported models or aid could bring stability. “True security will not come from Washington, Abu Dhabi, or any other capital,” he said. “It will only come through cooperation among the peoples of the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea.”
Ethiopia’s instability
Turning to Ethiopia, Isaias warned that its internal turmoil posed a direct threat to the Horn. While Eritrea normalized ties with its neighbor in 2018, he said Addis Ababa’s repeated crises — from Tigray to Amhara and Oromia — risked spilling across borders.
“For eighty years, Ethiopia’s rulers have pursued expansionist policies,” Isaias said. “We never sought their land, but they constantly sought to undermine ours. Though we paid heavily, we also learned important lessons.”
He rejected Ethiopia’s claim that its maritime deal with Somaliland was a matter of “existential survival,” arguing instead that it reflected desperation. “These are not strategies for development,” he said. “They are reckless ambitions, driven by outsiders who want to exploit Ethiopia’s weakness.”
“Ethiopia’s instability is a danger to the wider region,” he concluded.
Despite the dangers, Isaias insisted that the Horn of Africa still has the capacity to shape its own future.
“True stability will not come from Washington, Abu Dhabi, or any other capital,” he said. “It will only come through cooperation among the peoples of the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea.”
He called for renewed regional dialogue, linking the futures of Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Eritrea, and urged African states to resist what he described as “divide-and-rule tactics” from external powers.
“The peoples of this region share history, culture, and destiny,” Isaias said. “If they stand together, no outside actor can impose its will.”