The African Union has warned that any attempt to obstruct or threaten navigation through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea could disrupt international trade, global supply chains and energy security as fighting in Yemen intensifies.
In a statement issued on September 17, the African Union Commission reaffirmed the principle of freedom of navigation through the strategic maritime corridor and urged all parties to respect international law.
It said attacks against commercial shipping and threats to the waterway posed “a serious risk” to countries bordering the Red Sea and to economies across Africa, and also called for an immediate halt to attacks on civilians, civilian infrastructure and commercial vessels.
The warning followed a rapid advance by Iran-aligned Houthi forces along Yemen’s Red Sea coast. The group captured the port city of Mocha and reached the Hanish islands, raising concerns about its proximity to the Bab al-Mandeb, one of the world’s most important shipping routes.
The Houthis later moved onto Perim, a strategically located island in the strait. The group has said navigation remains safe for most vessels, while maintaining restrictions on Saudi-linked shipping.
The AU condemned attacks attributed to the Houthis against civilian targets and economic infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. It also said holy sites must not be made targets of military action and called for the protection of civilians and pilgrims, as well as urgent de-escalation and dialogue.
The conflict is already generating humanitarian consequences on the African side of the waterway. Djibouti has appealed for international assistance after thousands of Yemenis crossed the Gulf of Aden to escape the renewed violence.
Djiboutian authorities said nearly 3,000 refugees had arrived by mid-September, while the government was preparing for the number to increase to 10,000 in the coming weeks. According to UNICEF, more than 2,350 people, at least half of them children, had reached Djibouti by September 12.
Most of the arrivals are being hosted in Obock, a northern Djiboutian region located close to Yemen. The Markazi refugee camp had space for about 5,000 additional people, prompting preparations for a much larger influx. Djibouti’s appeal comes as concerns grow that prolonged fighting could trigger further displacement toward Puntland in Somalia and Somaliland.
