Qatar has warned that any disruption to shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key gateway to the Red Sea, could have catastrophic consequences for the global economy, as regional tensions continue to threaten two critical maritime routes.
“The world is suffering enough with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, so we cannot also afford to add the Bab al-Mandab into that equation,” Qatari Foreign Ministry official Ibrahim al-Hashmi told reporters, according to Al Jazeera.
Al-Hashmi said closing the southern entrance to the Red Sea would be catastrophic for the entire world, stressing that Qatar was pushing for diplomacy and dialogue to contain the crisis.
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The warning follows an Al Jazeera report on potential disruption to navigation through the Bab al-Mandab, amid recent Houthi advances along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and the continuing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Qatar has also condemned what it described as Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia’s civilian infrastructure and population. According to the Qatari Foreign Ministry, ballistic missiles and drones targeted the cities of Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif, causing injuries to civilians and damage to residential homes and vehicles.
The ministry called the attacks a flagrant violation of Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and a breach of international law. It reiterated Qatar’s full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its right to take measures to protect its sovereignty and security.
Al Jazeera reported that the potential impact of a Bab al-Mandab closure is also being discussed at a meeting of foreign ministers from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in Djibouti.
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The meeting is expected to examine the security, humanitarian and economic consequences of developments in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab, particularly for IGAD countries bordering the waterway.
Djiboutian authorities have meanwhile warned that continued regional hostilities could trigger larger waves of migrant arrivals across the Bab al-Mandab, putting additional pressure on the country’s resources and increasing the need for regional and international assistance.
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