maritime

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Ethiopia’s top military commander said the country’s defense partnership with the United States will remain strong as both nations move to deepen cooperation on counterterrorism and regional stability — including support for Ethiopia’s push for peaceful access to the Red Sea. Field Marshal Berhanu Jula met Friday in Addis Ababa with a U.S. delegation led by Gen. Dagvin R. M. Anderson of U.S. Africa Command. Both sides discussed ways to bolster security in the Horn of Africa, where Ethiopia has…

European naval forces shadow Somali pirates after string of attacks; no immediate threat to shipping, officials say NAIROBI — European Union naval forces and allied navies are keeping a close watch on a pirate group off Somalia’s coast after a spate of attacks in recent days, but they say commercial shipping faces no immediate danger thanks to an international security presence. In a brief posting on X on Wednesday, EUNAVFOR Operation Atalanta said the suspected pirates “remain in the area under surveillance,” urging…

Yemen and Somalia Look to the Gulf of Aden for a Reset — Trade, Flights, and a Security Hedge On a warm Sunday in Aden, inside a government building that has seen more than its share of chapter changes, Yemen’s Transport Minister Dr. Abdisalam Hamid sat down with Somalia’s ambassador, Abdulhakim Mohamed, to talk about rebuilding old routes across a troubled sea. The meeting didn’t produce the flashy, sweeping pledges that crowd the diplomatic calendar. Yet in a region where small steps often foreshadow bigger shifts, their…

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have taken a decisive step to impose targeted sanctions on what’s often referred to as Russia’s shadow fleet of oil tankers. This fleet has enabled Moscow to continue exporting significant volumes of crude oil and petroleum products, effectively sidestepping the sanctions imposed by the EU, G7, and various international bodies. A growing chorus of concern has emerged regarding these aging, uninsured tankers, with fears that they could trigger ecological disasters, particularly…

In a bustling week peppered with captivating headlines, a noteworthy claim has emerged regarding the Yemeni Houthis and their purported financial activities involving the Red Sea. Maritime lawyer Stephen Askins from Tatham & Co is casting a critical eye over these claims, raising a skeptical eyebrow at the notion that the Houthis are banking $180 million a month from maritime companies seeking safe passage through these waters.Mogadishu (AX) — The swirling rumors suggest that hefty payments are navigated through an…

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud recently voiced stern disapproval of Ethiopia’s actions, accusing it of double-dealing by hosting the African Union (AU) quarters while allegedly flouting its tenets in its engagements with North Western State of Somalia. As he stood before Somalia’s parliament on Saturday, Mohamud spotlighted a hotly debated Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) penned by Ethiopia with North Western State of Somalia, a matter that’s been whipping up quite the storm far and wide.…

Pursuing enhanced security across the western Indian Ocean, a collaborative maritime exercise unfolded between the EU and Kenya. Image credit: Operation Atalanta.This week, the Kenya Navy and Coast Guard took significant strides in maritime safety through joint drills with the European Union's naval task force.During the final week of October, a simulated search and rescue (SAR) operation was conducted, featuring the ESPS Santa Maria (F81), currently serving as Operation Atalanta’s flagship. Alongside Kenyan naval assets and…

Ethiopia Expresses No Desire for War, Pursues Peaceful Maritime Access ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - In a bid to ease growing tensions, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed emphasized the country's disinclination towards any military engagement with Somalia. This statement comes amid friction over a recent deal with North Western State of Somalia, a self-proclaimed independent region, as he explained to the parliament. Back in January, Ethiopia, eager for sea access due to its landlocked status, made significant strides by signing…

Abiy believes gifting Ethiopia access to the Red Sea would be the crowning jewel of his legacy. In Mogadishu, Somali military officers stepped in sync during a splendid parade. Feisal Omar/Reuters ADDIS ABABA – There's a tense atmosphere brewing in the Horn of Africa. Somalia is insisting that Ethiopia should pull the plug on its contentious port agreement with North Western State of Somalia, the self-declared independent region, or yank its forces out of Somalia. Somalia's displeasure with the Ethiopian pact was loud and…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has sounded the alarm on a mounting threat from Ethiopia, revealing tensions tied to their maritime ambitions. At the heart of this issue is a controversial pact with North Western State of Somalia, a region that declared independence from Somalia. From the podium of the UN General Assembly, PM Barre accused Ethiopia of trying to annex parts of Somali territory, veiling it behind a supposed strategy for sea access. He labeled these actions as blatant…