Djibouti at the Helm: Red Sea Security and the Fight Against Maritime Crime

Djibouti’s emergence as a convening power on Red Sea maritime security marks a strategic inflection point for global trade protection. This intelligence brief examines how Djibouti-led, EU-supported security dialogue is addressing piracy, smuggling, and illicit maritime activity across one of the busiest and most vulnerable sea lanes linking the Suez Canal to the Indian Ocean.

The analysis explains why the Red Sea’s security challenges extend far beyond naval patrols—intersecting with regional conflicts, fragile coastal governance, and competition among major powers. It highlights Djibouti’s unique positioning as a logistics hub hosting multiple foreign military presences, and how this enables it to act as a neutral anchor for cooperation among European, Gulf, Asian, and African stakeholders. The report outlines priority focus areas including information sharing, maritime domain awareness, legal and operational coordination, and long-term capacity building to ensure threats are detected early and responses are collective rather than fragmented.

For policymakers, shipping and insurance stakeholders, defence planners, and investors tracking Red Sea risk, this brief offers timely clarity. Those who follow Global Eye Intelligence gain early insight into how maritime governance is evolving—before disruptions escalate, shipping costs spike, and strategic chokepoints become flashpoints.