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Why Trump wants to treat with Issayas

Washington is exploring normalisation with Asmara in talks driven by its control of over 1,000 kilometres of Red Sea coastline

United States officials have been talking with Eritrea to explore normalising relations. Initiated by Egypt and Massad Boulos, Senior Africa Advisor to US President Donald J Trump, the meetings have involved Eritrea’s President Issayas Afewerki. Further meetings are expected in the coming weeks.

Eritrea-US relations have been effectively frozen for decades. But Eritrea’s strategic role with its hold on the Red Sea coast has risen sharply due to the US-Israeli war against Iran.

Eritrea controls over 1,100 km of Red Sea coastline, including the north-western side of the Bab el Mandeb Strait through which 12% of the world’s maritime oil shipments pass (AC Vol 57 No 7, POW row heals & Vol 66 No 10, Muscat joins the scramble for Africa).

Reports in the Wall Street Journal suggest that US officials have mooted dropping economic sanctions against Afewerki’s regime and warming up diplomatic relations. Successive US administrations have kept the US ambassador post in Asmara vacant.

The Trump administration also wants to boost the military ties of its Africa Command in across the continent. Currently its only major port base is in neighbouring Djibouti. Earlier this month, AFRICOM launched a joint counter-terrorism mission in Sirte with Libyan and Italian armed forces.

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