When we hear the words Red Sea, what comes to mind?
For many of us, it is war, missiles, ships being attacked, military operations and geopolitical tensions, and for good reason. The Red Sea and the Bab El-Mandeb Strait have once again become areas of serious security concern. Just this week, a cargo vessel was attacked in the Bab El-Mandeb, with crew members losing their lives. Shipping through the route has also dropped sharply as companies try to avoid the growing risks. But perhaps we are looking at the Red Sea from only one side. What if we stopped asking only, “How do we secure the Red Sea?” What if we also asked: “How do we develop the Red Sea?”
The Red Sea is more than a place where conflicts meet. It is a natural connection between Africa and the Arab world. On one side are countries such as Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti and Somalia. On the other are Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Through the Bab El-Mandeb, it connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the wider Indian Ocean. In other words, this is not just a body of water separating two regions. It is a corridor connecting two worlds. And corridors are not only built for armies. They are built for people, trade, investment, ideas and opportunities.
What if we looked at it all differently?
The Red Sea is already one of the world’s important trade routes. It connects markets and allows goods to move between Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe. But insecurity is increasingly dominating the conversation. We talk about naval forces, attacks on ships, blockades, military alliances, who controls which port or which strategic route. These conversations are important. A dangerous Red Sea affects everyone. When ships avoid the route, transportation becomes more expensive, supply chains are disrupted and countries that depend heavily on imports can feel the consequences.
But security cannot be the end of the conversation. What happens after the guns fall silent? Who builds the ports, creates the businesses, develops the surrounding communities, gets the jobs, invests in young people, makes sure that the people living around this strategic corridor actually benefit from its importance? This is where we need to start thinking differently.
The Red Sea could be a development corridor
Imagine a Red Sea region where the conversation is not only about protecting ships, but also about creating opportunities. A region where ports become centers of trade and employment, young people are trained in logistics, shipping, technology and maritime services, agriculture and food systems are strengthened, renewable energy is developed, fisheries become sustainable businesses rather than neglected resources, infrastructure connects communities to markets, African and Arab businesses can work together, investment creates jobs instead of simply creating strategic influence.
This is not an impossible idea. The World Bank’s current work in the region already points toward this kind of thinking. Its development agenda is increasingly focused on jobs, food security, water, infrastructure, private-sector growth and regional economic integration. In the Horn of Africa, the Bank has supported economic-corridor projects linking infrastructure and regional trade, including the Djibouti Regional Economic Corridor. The Bank’s 2026 work on food security in the Middle East and North Africa also connects food systems directly with job creation and economic resilience. So perhaps the question is not whether the Red Sea can become a development corridor, The question is whether we have the imagination and political will to make it one?
And this is where Africa and the Arab world come in
For too long, discussions about Africa and the Arab world can sometimes feel like discussions between governments, diplomats and institutions. But the Red Sea presents an opportunity to make that relationship more practical.
Africa and the Arab world already share geography, history, culture, trade and common challenges. Why not build on that? Why shouldn’t African and Arab countries develop a shared agenda for the Red Sea?
An agenda that focuses on peace, trade, investment, climate resilience, food security, maritime development and jobs. This would not mean ignoring security. In fact, development can strengthen security. A young person with skills, employment and a future to look forward to has something to protect. A community that benefits from trade and investment has a greater stake in peace. A region connected by legitimate economic opportunities has more to gain from stability than conflict. Security and development should therefore not be treated as competing priorities. They should work together.
Africa and the Arab world have some of the world’s youngest populations. Yet when major geopolitical questions are discussed, young people are often brought into the conversation after the decisions have already been made. But young people should not simply be the beneficiaries of development. They should help design it.
The question before Africa and the Arab world is therefore not only how to secure the Red Sea.
It is whether we can turn it into a corridor of shared prosperity. And perhaps, for the young people of Africa and the Arab world, that is the future worth fighting for.
The author works with the Liaison and Partnerships Department at the Afro-Arab Youth Council
The post JACKLINE KICONCO: From a Corridor of Conflict to a Corridor of Development: Rethinking the Red Sea appeared first on Watchdog Uganda.