By Abdullahi Salad - Reporter
New York, 22 September 2026 Djibouti and the United States agreed to coordinate efforts to maintain stability in the Red Sea and the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world's most important maritime trade corridors.
Foreign Minister Abdoulkader Houssein Omar and Massad Boulos, the U.S. President's Special Adviser for African and Middle Eastern Affairs, met in New York to discuss strengthening maritime-security cooperation, protecting freedom of navigation and securing international trade routes.
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The meeting comes as the security situation in the Red Sea continues to deteriorate. Attacks off the coast of Yemen are threatening commercial vessels, the European Union has called for more warships to protect shipping, and the International Maritime Organization has recorded an increase in armed attacks and piracy in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The talks underscore Djibouti's growing importance in safeguarding the waterway due to its location near Bab el-Mandeb. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation to protect regional security and freedom of navigation.