Chapter 4: Red Sea, Horn of Africa
Djibouti
/ Egypt / Eritrea
/ Ethiopia / Kenya
/
Somalia /
Sudan
/ Table of Contents
The Red Sea/Horn of Africa Sub-region includes the African countries on the Suez Canal, Red Sea, and Bab al Mandeb. Close ties with countries in the Horn allow access to these critical sea lines of communications (SLOCs) for transit from the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean beyond. Egypt, one of our closest allies in the region, is a pivotal link between the Middle East and Africa and was an invaluable supporter of U.S. political initiatives, such as the Middle East Peace Process and coalition military operations in Somalia.
The Horn of Africa continues to suffer from decades of economic chaos and political instability. In Somalia, international humanitarian relief efforts slowed the effects of the recent famine, but these results are only temporary without political reconciliation by the Somalis themselves. Similarly, a decade of civil discord in Sudan produced a level of suffering in the southern portion of that country which may be worse than was seen in Somalia. While international relief organizations attempt to ease this suffering, Sudan's central government continues its efforts to suppress the population in the south and support global terrorism at the expense of working toward reconciliation. Elsewhere in the Horn, Eritrea continues to progress as an independent nation developing close ties to the West, while Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Kenya are also making progress in development despite trying conditions.
(For a listing of sources used for this section, explore the sources link below.)
