DOHA – Qatar: Closing the Bab al-Mandab Strait would be “catastrophic”

DOHA, September 15 /ATSH-DPA/ – Qatar warned that closing the Bab al-Mandab Strait, located between Yemen and the Horn of Africa, would be catastrophic for world trade. “The world is already facing major consequences due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” a Qatari foreign ministry spokesman said today.

According to him, the world cannot afford for the sea route through Bab al-Mandab to become impassable as well. “This would be catastrophic for the entire world,” he said. The spokesman added that the blocking of international sea routes must not become an ordinary situation.

The Houthi rebels have taken control of areas on the Yemeni coast. The Houthi militia, backed by Iran, advanced last week southward along Yemen’s coast. It now controls coastal cities such as Mokha and Dhubab, as well as several islands in the Red Sea. From these areas, the Houthi rebels can attack merchant ships more easily than before.

What is Bab al-Mandab? Bab al-Mandab, which in Arabic means “Gate of Tears”, is a maritime strait, a narrow sea passage connecting two larger bodies of water. It links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and lies on one of the shortest sea routes connecting Europe with Asia. Under normal conditions, about 10% of global maritime trade and 30% of the world’s container ship transport pass through this strait. After the Houthi rebel attacks on ships that began in 2023, traffic through this strait fell sharply. Many shipping companies chose another route, much longer and more expensive, sailing their ships around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa.

Saudi Arabia seeks alternative oil routes. Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, is trying to transport part of its oil through the Red Sea, as transport must be diverted due to the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz. On this issue, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held discussions today in Cairo with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. According to Egyptian sources, the two leaders agreed that freedom of navigation on these sea routes must not be threatened. Both Saudi Arabia and Egypt have a long coastline along the Red Sea.