Article 37 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) deals with the right of transit passage in straits used for international navigation. This legal concept applies to the Bab el-Mandeb strait as well. Despite this, the strait's strategic importance has made it a focal point for regional and international conflicts. But why is it so?
The Bab el-Mandeb is a narrow waterway that
separates Yemen and Djibouti, and Asia from Africa. It connects the Red Sea to
the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. The strait is 30 kilometers (KM) wide
and is divided into two channels by Perim Island. The western channel is 26 KM
wide and 30 meters deep, while the eastern is 3 KM wide and 310 meters deep.
This strait is key to controlling almost all shipping between these bodies of
water.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is vitally important
for the transportation of goods, primarily oil and natural gas, between the
Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia. It is a critical passage for oil tankers
traveling from the Persian Gulf region to Europe and the Americas.
Additionally, it serves as a key route for other types of cargo ships, including
container ships and bulk carriers. This is because it is linked to a number of
geographical and political factors that directly affect many countries in the
Arab world and Africa.
Also known as the Gate of Grief or Gate of Tears
in Arabic, the Bab el-Mandeb strait is strategically important for global
shipping. It is a crucial transit route for international trade, particularly
for ships transiting the Suez Canal. Most exports of petroleum and natural gas
from the Persian Gulf that transit the Suez Canal or the SUMED Pipeline pass
through both the Bab el-Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz. Its significance
increased after the opening of the Suez canal in 1869, and the discovery of the
largest oil reserves in the Arabian Peninsula.
Why has the Bab-el-Mandeb become a cause of regional and international rivalry?
The Bab-el-Mandeb is the third busiest international sea route, after Malacca
and the Strait of Hormuz. Approximately 3,300,000 barrels of oil, representing
4% of the global demand for oil, pass through it daily. Annually, 21,000 ships
pass through it, meaning that commercial shipments passing through the strait
amount to 10% of global commercial shipments. Located at the end of the Red
Sea, it is the shortest sea route connecting east and west, making it
especially important in regulating world trade.
The strait’s strategic location and economic potential have made it a hotbed of
competing interests, leading to regional rivalries. The inter-Gulf rivalry, in
particular, has inspired and defined this active engagement. There is
competition between Saudi Arabia and Iran, as well as a contest pitting Saudi
Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt against Qatar and Turkey. These rivalries
have manifested in a series of interlinked proxy conflicts waged across the
Middle East.
On the other hand, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and its volatile border areas are
host to growing strategic competition. Turkey, the Arab states of the Gulf,
China (for whom the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait is a strategic location for its Belt
and Road Initiative due to its significance for trade, energy corridors,
security, influence, and regional politics), and the United States are all
expanding their economic and military activity in the region, leading to
geopolitical tensions and complexities.
The strait’s vested economic interests also make it a hotspot for international
rivalry. Indeed, the Horn of Africa is a trade and investment gateway to a
continent brimming with economic potential. Gulf Arab countries, as well as
Turkey and Egypt, have become increasingly prominent external actors in the
Horn of Africa and the surrounding maritime space.
The rivalry for control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait is part of a regional
conflict between Iran and its Shiite allies on one hand, and Saudi Arabia and
its Sunni allies on the other. Tehran’s involvement in the Yemeni conflict is
considered by Zaouaq (2018) as part of a broader military strategy, through
which Iran intends to block merchant shipping traffic through the region’s two
important choke points - Ormuz and Bab el-Mandeb. Soage even dubbed this
conflict the ‘New Cold War of the Middle East’.
Other serious issues related to the Bab-el-Mandeb
include:
This fragile region has been plagued by high levels of violence and instability
within and across borders for decades. It has served as a launching pad for
terrorism, piracy, human trafficking, and smuggling operations in recent years.
Its strategic location and narrow breadth always keep it in the news as an
important checkpoint in global maritime trade.
Indeed, the strait is located in a region with complex geopolitical dynamics.
Ongoing conflicts and tensions in countries such as Yemen, Somalia, and
Ethiopia could potentially impact the security and stability of the Bab
el-Mandeb Strait. Political unrest or military actions in the area could
disrupt maritime traffic. Because of this, it is closely monitored by
international navies to ensure the safety and security of maritime traffic
passing through the area. Any disruption or closure of the strait could have
significant implications for global trade and energy markets.
The proximity of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to areas with active terrorist
groups, such as Somalia and Yemen, raises concerns about the possibility of
terrorist attacks targeting ships passing through the strait. Terrorist
organizations may seek to disrupt global trade or cause economic damage by
targeting vessels or infrastructure in the area.
Additionally, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait is an ecologically sensitive area, home
to diverse marine life and coral reefs. The passage of large vessels presents
the risk of oil spills or other forms of pollution, which could have
detrimental effects on the marine ecosystem.
However, despite the international community’s attempts to control piracy in the
Bab-el-Mandeb Strait through a combination of naval operations, security
measures, regional cooperation, and the establishment of foreign military
establishments, the region has seen a rapid increase in piracy in recent years.
This piracy not only disrupts the flow of maritime trade but is also vital for
the global economy. The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait is a major oil chokepoint, with
oil flow increasing from 5.1 million barrels per day in 2014 to 6.2 million b/d
in 2018. Piracy in this region could lead to increased shipping costs and
insurance premiums, impacting global trade.
The matter does not stop here. Several reports have revealed that pirate gangs
in the region have formed alliances with terrorist groups. For instance,
al-Qaeda’s al-Shabaab terrorist group in Somalia reportedly receives about
20-25% of the gains earned by Somali pirates.
The Iran-sponsored Yemeni Houthis have launched an offensive against maritime
trade in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, engaging in multiple anti-ship drone and
missile attacks and numerous acts of piracy against commercial and military
vessels. All this reflects the ongoing conflicts and instability in the region.
In the context of India : Because India depends heavily on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait for crude oil and LNG imports from the Middle East, about 50% of India’s trade and commerce passes through this strait, it is important for India's trade relations with other countries.
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