Geopolitical Shifts in the Wider Red Sea Region

The political and security boundaries between the two sides of the Red Sea have become increasingly blurred over the past two decades. Historically, there have always been frequent and ongoing relations between the African and Middle Eastern coasts, especially in terms of commercial, cultural and religious interactions. However, institutionalised political and security interactions have been limited. A significant change began at the turn of the millennium, characterised by a steady increase in economic and diplomatic interactions between countries on both sides of the Red Sea.