Asset Publisher

Country Reports

Short political reports of the KAS offices abroad

Publications

IMAGO/Dreamstime

Djibouti’s geostrategic importance

Country profile, external actors and Germany’s role in security policy

For some time now, the Horn of Africa has been the scene of strategic competition between external powers, which are continually expanding their military and economic influence in the region. Within the context of this rivalry, the small coastal state of Djibouti is of particular importance. Owing to its geostrategic location at the Bab al-Mandab Strait between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, five states have already established permanent military bases there. Although Germany is not part of this group of countries, until a few years ago the German Navy was stationed off the Horn of Africa to work alongside European partners in combating maritime threats such as smuggling at sea, piracy and terrorism. In view of the recent resurgence of Somali piracy and the latent threat to international merchant shipping posed by the Yemeni Houthi militia, securing maritime trade routes in the Horn of Africa is more important than ever for Western nations.

Jan-Ole Voß, Karl Wiesemeyer
July 16, 2026
Country reports
IMAGO / Manfred Segerer

Escalation in the Red Sea

The military dimension, the deployment of the Bundeswehr and the calculus of regional players

The deployment of the frigate Hessen to the Red Sea was described in advance as the most dangerous deployment of the German navy in the history of the Bundeswehr and is aimed at protecting funda-mental national interests. This naval mission fundamentally challenges central assumptions and plans of Germany’s defence policy of the past two decades. A return of the Bundeswehr to East Africa was long considered just as unlikely as an air defence scenario against a non-state armed group. Now the Yemeni Houthi militia is confronting the US naval forces with a primarily Iranian arsenal of weapons that is clearly superior in quality to that of many other non-state armed groups. While in terms of de-fence policy, Europe is almost completely tied down along NATO's eastern flank, it is becoming appar-ent that the conflict-ridden region around the Red Sea could pose an additional security challenge in the long term and require additional commitment and resources. After all, the maritime trade route between the Suez Canal and Bab al-Mandab and access to the Indo-Pacific region are of key economic and security importance for Germany and Europe.

Philipp Dienstbier, Gregory Meyer, Nils Wörmer
February 28, 2024
Country reports

Asset Publisher

About this series

The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung is a political foundation. Our offices abroad are in charge of over 200 projects in more than 120 countries. The country reports offer current analyses, exclusive evaluations, background information and forecasts - provided by our international staff.

Order details

Editor

Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V.