Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – (Hornpost) The eighth edition of the Red Wave joint naval exercise has officially begun along the Saudi coast, with naval forces from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Sudan, Yemen and Djibouti participating.
The multi-day exercise focuses on strengthening cooperation among Red Sea states and protecting one of the world’s most strategic waterways.
According to the spokesperson of the Egyptian Armed Forces, Red Wave 8 includes:
Planning and executing joint naval operations, Countering non-traditional maritime threats
Securing commercial shipping routes, Sharing intelligence and naval expertise.
The Red Sea remains a vital corridor for global trade. Most oil tankers and cargo vessels moving between Asia, the Middle East and Europe pass through this narrow passage linking the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal.
The Red Sea Coalition:
The exercise is part of the broader framework of the Red Sea alliance, founded by Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and joined by Eritrea, Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti, Jordan and Yemen.
Its purpose is to coordinate maritime security, combat piracy and smuggling, and protect navigation from regional instability.
Global powers are already competing for influence in the Red Sea in Djibouti:
The small nation of Djibouti hosts military bases belonging to The United States, China, France, Japan.
Russia and India have also expanded their presence, while Gulf powers such as the UAE, Qatar, Turkey and Iran rely on regional partners to maintain influence.
Analysis: What It Means for Somaliland
Although Somaliland is not formally recognized internationally, it controls around 850 km of secure coastline in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea interface — a maritime corridor that has remained largely peaceful compared to neighboring zones.
This gives Somaliland three strategic advantages:
Safe Shipping Waters, International vessels continue to transit through Somaliland waters with fewer piracy incidents compared to Yemen and southern Somalia.
Ports such as Berbera offer a safer alternative for shipping and logistics.
Growing Geopolitical Interest:
Global powers closely monitor Somaliland’s stability, especially after BP, DP World, Ethiopia, and other actors expanded interest in the Berbera corridor.
Red Sea drills like Red Wave 8 increase attention on who controls secure maritime zones — and Somaliland ranks among the safest.
Potential Future Role:
While not part of Red Wave 8, Somaliland’s long coastline and relative safety position as a future stakeholder in regional maritime security.
Any long-term security framework for the Red Sea will inevitably consider actors with real control on the ground — not only internationally recognized governments.
If instability escalates in Yemen or Bab al-Mandab strait, Somaliland’s calm coastline becomes even more valuable to global shipping companies and military planners.
Pictures of events:
Prepared by:
Hornpost staff Reporter