The Strait of Bab El-Mandeb: stage of geopolitical disputes

Abstract

Situated between Yemen to the Northeast and Djibouti and Eritrea to the Southwest, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait is the closest area between the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa and connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Thirty-two kilometres wide, the strategic value of the Bab El-Mandeb Strait is associated with the fact that it is the shortest sea route between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean. According to data from the2019US Energy Information Administration, 6.2 million barrels of crude and refined oil flowed daily across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait toward Europe, the United States of America and Asia in 2018. On the other hand, a2017 report byChatamHouse identified 14 chokepoints that it considered critical to global food security, with the Bab ElMandeb Strait being one of the most relevant. This article aims to analyze the ongoing geopolitical disputes in this region, particularly between the USA, which maintains a strong structure, and the emerging powers, China, and Russia, which are positioning themselves to strengthen their presence. The results show that this competition, at the global level, exists and is even in an upward cycle.