Key facts
- Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh said there is no military solution to the conflict in Yemen.
- Saleh stated foreign powers cannot "subdue" the Yemeni people.
- He noted that littoral states must decide how to ensure safe passage in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
- Saleh described Yemen as lacking a cohesive government.
- The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a historic route of navigation and trade.
- Eritrea has a responsibility to safeguard the Red Sea for safe passage.
Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh has stated that there is no military solution to the conflict in Yemen and that foreign powers will not be able to "subdue" the Yemeni people. In an interview with Middle East Eye, Saleh emphasized that Yemen must be given a chance to be peaceful.
Saleh also highlighted that littoral states bordering the Bab el-Mandeb Strait must decide how to manage freedom of navigation. However, he noted that these discussions are complicated by Yemen's internal divisions and the absence of a cohesive government. "Yemen is non-existent. The official government has no control. There is no 'Yemen'," he told MEE.
Eritrea, with its extensive Red Sea coastline, sits in a strategic position that includes territorial waters bordering the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Saleh described the Red Sea as a "historic route of navigation and trade" and stated that Eritrea has a responsibility to safeguard it as a safe passage for all.
Regional diplomats suggest that the Houthi control over Yemen's coastline and strategic islands, including the Bab el-Mandeb, bolsters Iran's leverage against the US and Gulf states. The Houthis are also in a position to potentially impose tolls on vessels in the waterway. While Eritrea acknowledges the importance of the waterway, Saleh described the idea of tolls as a "new idea" and stressed the need for discussion among littoral states to ensure free passage, especially given Yemen's current political fragmentation.