January 3, 2024
Ambassador Amar Bendjama, noting the global importance of safe maritime navigation through the Red Sea, urged that recent developments there should be analysed within a broader regional context.
The region is currently navigating a challenging period of instability, and therefore it is necessary to abstain from escalating tensions to prevent the emergence of regional conflict with “out of control consequences”, he stressed.
He went on to state that the primary responsibility for maritime security rests with coastal States — best positioned to ensure the safety of crucial waterways — and underscored that any collective effort lacking the active involvement of such States is “likely to fall short of achieving the desired results”.
Further, the effective management of any situation necessitates an understanding of the relevant historical and geographic context, and efforts to fragment a crisis are bound to fail.
Ambassador Amar Bendjama added that the Red Sea is more than just a trade route — it is steeped in civilizations and communities with legitimate aspirations and hopes.