Although the Red sea itself is a major cause of rivalry and potential sources of disunity due to its geopolitical configuration, physical resources and location, the same could be also an unifying factor and a powerful argument for cooperation....
No water has greater historical interest than the Red Sea – 1300 miles long with the Gulf of Suez – at its northern reach extended by the man – made Suez Canal to provide navigation from the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean. It is one of the first large bodies of water mentioned in recorded history – and today it is a major traffic alley, serving as outlet to the Oceans for its literal states, and on its other hand as a thoroughfare that links the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean.
A mere glance at a map of the Middle East gives an indication of the paramount strategic importance of the Red Sea region. Laying as it does between two continents, Africa, and Asia, between the Middle East and Far East, between Europe and Asia, the Red Sea is at the heart of an area which has seen birth of civilizations and religions, and which constitutes a link between two worlds and two civilizations.
The geopolitical position of the Red Sea is of special importance bordering as it does the eastern coast of Africa and the Western Coast of the Arabian Peninsula – it is the vital route for the transportation of oil through Bab AlMandab and the south to the Suez Canal in the north. Thus this narrow band of water shared by a number of coastal states is an important shipping lane linking the world major oceans.
THE RED SEA IN HISTORY
The Red Sea means many different things to different people: a divider of continents, or Tanker alley as it is known for its mercantile profession has played a central role in the history of navigation, communications, and trade between the Arabian Peninsula, Asia, and Europe for at least four thousand years. It is a history full of adventure, excitement and discovery. It has been a crucial waterway ever since Man first took to the sea in boats: "that’s how civilizations grew – by sea – they got contacts, raw materials and inspiration.."
According to an old legend, a certain king cut a channel through the Isthmus at Bab AlMandab in order that the ocean might flow through it and destroy his enemies territory. The Red Sea is one of the first large bodies of water mentioned in recorded history. It is was much less sailed than the Mediterranean. For example, Egyptian vessels sailed through the Red Sea to the Land of Punt, whose location is still unknown, but probably was in East Africa. Since navigation in the Red Sea was so difficult many merchants preferred the territorial route from the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean, a route that crossed the Arabian Peninsula from south to north. Thus precious perfumes, spices, ivory, monkeys and rare birds were brought by ship from India and East Africa to southern Arabia which then were transported over land to the Mediterranean. This trade route, however, could not satisfy Egypt because it was removed from its territory. Therefore it developed its own maritime capabilities in the Red Sea despite the technical difficulties in order to reduce the dangers of navigation which were worse in the southern part of the Red Sea. A port was build in southern Egypt at the place where today the port of Qusayr is situated, some 500 km south of Suez. From these the merchandise was brought over land to Luxor and then on the Nile to the ports of the Mediterranean.
But Egypt was not the only State that sailed the Red Sea. According to the Old Testament King Solomon also built ships which he sent with the help of his Phenician allies from the port of Ezyor Geves – at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba, the remote Ophir. It is still an unknown location, perhaps the same place as the fabulous Punt. It seems that the voyage took three years. Only special vessels known as "tarshisk" ships could be used on these voyages, in exchange for copper, ingots from Israel, they brought back gold, pearls, and incense, as well as peacocks, and monkeys.
If Jezirat Faraoun fits one typical pattern, Jezirat Tiran first yet another. Tiran is another island in the Gulf of Aqaba/Elath but this time at the mouth of the Gulf. Foods from the southern and central parts of the Red Sea were transported to other vessels on an island at the northern end of the Red Sea. Islands offshore were bases that could be made secure in times of trouble was typically Phenician. Both Faraoun and Tiran belong here. It may have meant that the Red Sea commerce was in Phenician hands for a while. Phenician sailors went all the way through the Red Sea and there is some evidence that they may have sailed far into the open of the Atlantic ocean, and back to the Mediterranean. After the Roman conquest of Egypt trade with India and Arabia through the Red Sea reached new peaks. In the year 21 AD for example trade relations between the Roman Empire, and India alone reached a volume of 120 sailings a year.
On the Red Sea or West coasts of Arabia were several kingdoms. They were Ausan (Awsan = Uzal – Sanaa), Hatzar-mavet (Hadramaut), Maen (=Main = Minae) Qataban (=Qahtan = Savtekan), Seba (=Saba = Seva), Joktan (= most of what is now Yemen and Saudi Arabia), etc. Arabian products were aromatic gums, notably myrrh plus frankincense. These gums or resins in Arabia were mainly from plants grown from Yemen and Oman. They came along what might be recalled the Sheba the overland route apparently running parallel with Red Sea coast from Yemen in the south to the Gulf of Aqaba/Elath in the north. They also came in ships build by Phenicians to Aqaba/Elath and further north. Yet it is east/west movement that is best known. Most famous are product from West Arabia/West Yemen reaching parts of east Africa and most notable are from Saba/Sheba.
Punt seems to have been called Gods land by the Egyptians, Punt/God – land seems to have been some part of east Africa that is now represented by such as Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea (formerly coast of Ethiopia) etc. Goods brought from Punt to Egypt included aromatic gums/resins and woods, certain minerals (antimony, tin, gold etc.) The ships in which they came were sometimes of timber. Trading between Egypt and Punt was on a different basis, mainly strings of beads for Puntite raw materials in Punt. Tin was another valuable commodity and remained so even when the combination of tin plus copper.
Legend has it that Phoenicia went to great lengths to obtain tin as Phoenicians did not neglect commercial opportunities. What this also shows is that while commercial rivals, they were also trading partners or partners in trade between Arabs and Phenicians on Red and IOW Seas (=Indian Ocean World). By conquest the Romans also acquired bases in the south of Arabia in order to secure the safety of navigation.
With decline of Roman power, in the area and the resulting economy decay and lack of security the European sailors left the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean. During the period of the Crusaders trade in the Mediterranean increased and cooperation seems to have developed between the Italian cities, whose ships sailed in the Mediterranean and the Arabs who sailed the Indian Ocean.
Throughout history the Yemeni port Aden has been a part of commercial importance as it served as a meeting point of ships coming from the Red Sea from India, from the Persian Gulf and from East Africa. In fact that Somalia has a coast both on the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean gives it enormous strategic importance since it enables it to control navigation in the Red Sea as well as in the Indian Ocean. With three ports in the Indian Ocean one in the Gulf of Aden Somalia overlooks the Cape of Good Hope ocean route and practically control the southern entrances of the Red Sea.
Problems of water and coal supply were solved by establishment of fueling station at Port Said and on Perim Island in the Bab alMandab. Until World War I the shores of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden were under the domination of the Turkish Empire, the British Empire, France and Italy. In the twentieth century the Red Sea reached the zenith of its importance as oil gradually replaced coal as fuel in industry – power generation and transportation in Europe and America. New supertankers, operating at relatively low costs were built and transported oil around the Cape of Good Hope to the Western industrialized world.
More recently, a stream of oil begun to flow through the Red Sea.
By 1990 the water of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden washed the coasts of ten independent states: Egypt, Sudan, Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, (Ethiopia), Djibuti, Somalia and Yemen. The important fact, however is not the great number, but their diversity and heterogeneity in almost every respect, natural resources, wealth, social development, history, religion, ideological orientation, tradition, form of government and relations to the outside powers.
The Red Sea nevertheless preserved its importance as an outlet to the Indian Ocean for the literal states, a role that will be appreciated if we remember that the right of access to the oceans via the Red Sea was among the main cause for the to wars between Israel and Arab States in 1956 and 1967. Egypt since has undertaken important works for deepening of the canal which will also enable very large ships to travel through it. Saudi Arabia has been laying a pipeline from her oil field in the Persian Gulf. The Red Sea has had period of calm and of great activity, depending of technical factors of navigation and prevailing trade patterns.
Even before the Suez canal came into being Red Sea had been of importance over the centuries as an international waterway which favored long distance trade. The Red Sea served as bridge between richest areas in Europe and the Far East but never managed to attract to its shores any significant portion of the wealth which flowed through the waterway.
THE RED SEA TODAY
The Red Sea is a long and narrow body of water which provides a line of communication from the Far East to the Mediterranean and hence to the North Atlantic. The Red Sea is a only moderately integrated into the regional level but it is much more deeply integrated into international level. National pride, regional developments, international commerce and worldwide political events all have played a part in shaping in the Red Sea Region as it exists today.
The geopolitical position of the Red Sea is of special importance bordering as it does the eastern coast of Africa and the western coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is the vital route for the transportation of oil through Bab aa AlMandab and the Suez canal in the North. As much as the international strategic configuration affects the situation in the Red Sea region, the developments in that region have likewise their impact on world affairs. Issues of
- free navigation and
- nuclear disarmament,
- environmental pollution
in particular, will remain of paramount concerns to the states of the region. The Red Sea region is nevertheless relatively poorly explored. The great variety of its natural habitat and the tremendous beauty of its remote uninhabited islands, intricate coral – reefs and desert coast line together with its abundant wild life and rich cultural heritage. Within its boundaries there remain some of the richest coral – reef systems in the world, and modern science has revealed many of its secrets of this submarine realms. The Yemeni Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, for example contain some of worlds most important coastal and marine environments and resources. Almost no rivers flow into the Red Sea except for the Bardra in the Sudan.
One of the characteristics of the Red Sea is its high salinity. The flora of the Red Sea is mainly tropical, similar to the vegetation of the Indian Ocean and in particular to that of the East African Coast. The most spectacular in color, shape and behavior among inhabitants of the coral reef are the tropical fish. The observed color change likely gave the water its present name: the Red Sea. Here are also remote mountains ranges dissected by mystifying wadis, among isolated people seemingly untouched by time, and into mysterious and rarely seen power and beauty of this Desert Sea Region.
The Red Sea remains a major shipping lane and its importance has been increased to international shipping since it links the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean via the Suez Canal. Surrounding countries have all established strong links with the Red Sea weather for fishing, navigation and commerce – or as a source of sea – salt commerce.
In the recent years these have been added in an increase in leisure activities, and tourism and industrial projects such as desalinated fresh water.
The central portion of the Red Sea is unique in that the medium rift has created rich deposits of heavy metals. Zinc 3,4 %, copper 1,3 %, lead 0,1 %, silver 54 %, and gold 0,5 % parts per million.
The Red sea is a relatively clean area.
The Red Sea region faces a huge number of problems:
Demographic imbalance, pollution, environmental degradation, etc. and many others. They will certainly intensify and coastal population will increase in size. It will be only though focusing their attention on the Red Sea area, through cooperation and dialogue on matters associated with the sea, and in particular, mutual economic cooperation, projects of common interest, and trade, that they will be able to overcome problems and difficulties a potential source of instability and friction.
A solid base, a strong regional and sub-regional, system should be created in the area. But this will be only possible if literal states will overcome their weakness and will consolidate economic, political and strategic cooperation among themselves.
Such cooperation would not only foster peace and stability in the area but will also increase the prosperity and welfare of the peoples of the area.
DIALOGUE AND SOLIDARIY
Remain the only valid means available for transforming the Red Sea into a zone of peace, cooperation, mutual economic cooperation and partnerships. They would further create awareness and possibilities for such cooperation. But there is no doubt that the Arabian Peninsula and the Nile Valley for now remain primarily concerned with their own respective regional realities.
SHAPING THE FUTURE
So far no oil or gas is being extracted from the Red Sea apart from the Gulf of Suez whose fields are very important to Egypt. Offshore natural gas production around Arabia is already important. In future it will become an even more valuable resource as it is increasingly utilized in large industrial development in particularly petrochemicals.
A second potential source of offshore wealth lies in the metal bearing mud of the Red Sea. A number of extremely deep depressions oat depth of around 2.200 meters were located in the Red Sea. Quantities are estimated to be 1,7 million tones of zinc, 400.000 tons of copper, 4.000 tons of silver as well as gold, lead, and iron. There are also metal bearing mud. Exploration will be costly and difficult but nevertheless these metal bearing mud are regarded by Sudan and Saudi Arabia as a potential source of wealth.
Sugar industry has considerable potential for expansion. Neighboring countries in the Middle East are a potential natural market.
Application of water and electricity inputs will further enable farmers to rise production on existing fields.
Specialized agriculture production, including fruits and vegetables, oil seeds, spices, garden seeds, and flowers that could be attractive to innovative investors.
Conditions also favor specialized livestock and poultry operation and fish farming.
Food processing for domestic use and export also have enormous potential for agriculture.
Textile industry is capable of great expansion.
Hydroelectric power potential is 98 percent under developed.
Live animals, hides and skins need to be upgraded.
Ethiopias great reserves of man power are best kept on the land. There is, however need to restore and improve degraded land in the highlands, and improve storage facilities.
For supply or export of power Sudanese petroleum could benefit all.
While Horn countries can lay the basis for a cooperative development in all aspect of energy production.
Sudans hydropower potential is also very high.
Transportation, logistics is another field in which Red sea countries can gain great benefit from cooperation. Better high ways would facilitate trade, rapid expansion of tourist services and specialized tourism.
Fishing is important around the Arabian Peninsula and most national development plans envisage contained expansion of commercial fishing. Growing interest in fisheries has given impetus to national claims to exclusive fishing zones. This matter is of particular importance to Yemen where export trade is headed by fish products.
The desire to extend territorial waters has become more pressing in recent years.
On matters of the sea careful management, particularly, in respect of environment and pollution control will become urgent.
DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR VALUE CREATION
With free movement of people, trade and mutual economic cooperation the Red Sea countries will developed more rapidly.
Red Sea ports, for example, are ideally positioned for further growth.
Foreign policies should be geared for maximum maneuver in the global economy in order to connect local needs with global resources.
Such policies should be aimed at economic growth and employment opportunities, sustainable development models should mobilize resources.
The overall objective, however, should be to create conditions for rapid economic growth, and a raising standard of living for the population.
Good policies, and promising potential should leave the countries of the region in position to complete.
Sound financial management, creation and maintenance of favorable provisions for domestic and foreign investment, expansion of democracy and improvements in provisions for enforcing social justice – once set in motion economic growth feeds itself.
An eventual creation of a Red Sea free trade (and investment) zone would contribute to awareness of opportunities leading to eventual full economic cooperation, and a harmonious development to meet the challenges of 21 century which is to dismantle the "big" and develop the people.
On matters of the sea careful management, particularly in respect of environment and pollution control will become urgent.
.
THE NEW RED SEA REGION
The aim should be to bring people of the region together, businesses and organizations of the region together, and providing added value to both people and businesses. Thus the new Red Sea region should be characterized by regional cooperation.
Free zones can play a role in facilitation industrial development and the flow of trade between countries of the region. Internal trading agreement should define the mechanism and framework of collaboration aiming for the regional countries to achieve best project results.
Some proposed regional development projects of mutual interest:
Infrastructural Projects
Transportation, comprehensive regional transportation network, roads, marine, and air transport. Resulting from such network would substantially enhance the movement of people and goods across national boundaries and expand the market size of each country.
Roads, airports, electricity and energy, petroleum and industry focus on complementarily in the region, and industries that provide high added value to accelerate economic growth through an aggressive policy and that target international markets.
Construction materials: cement plants, mining for construction material
Food and fishery processing:
preparation of cash crops for export, processing and canning of vegetables and fruits, development of fishery facilities, marketing infrastructure, upgrading of ports and airports, spinning, textile, and ready-made garments.
New free zone on Suez Canal in Amriya, Alexandria will produce polyprophylene polymers. Standardization should serves as basis for promotion of industry and quality. All levels of standardization should be considered, whether national, regional and international.
Agriculture:
Eco- farming, vegetable, flowers, and ornamental decorating plant.
Ego farming: cereals, oil crops, vegetables, fruits, aromatic oil, medical plants, and concentrates, animal products, forest and agro-forestry.
Bio- Technology: tissue culture, desert farming, coastal protection, waters resource management, sugar crops.
Tourism,
recreational, religious, cultural and health tourism, diving, yachting tourism. Health farms, culture and heritage preservation, regional cultural heritage, integrated cultural heritage sites management
Free Zones
in the selected areas should serve as basis for increased trade among member countries. Such zones will be attractive strategic areas for investment and provide direct access to the market. Creating central locations that would serve as platforms for cooperation among countries. Further free zones specializing in export oriented industries.
High Technology:
software industry, computer business, biomedical technology, environment, communication, agriculture and biotechnology, regional information highway.
Human Resources Development:
The key prerequisite to regional development and national growth. To achieve regional development comprehensive human resource development strategies based on education and professional development (investment in human capital) through regional training centers.
Environment
The protection of environment is a challenge for all countries of the region.
Waste water treatment
Red Sea program for desalination technology
Red Sea green program
Regional gene bank program
Clean red sea region project
Gulf of Aqaba protection program
The technology used for treatment facilities should include low cost technologies such as stabilization ponds, wetlands, aerated lagoon technology, renewable energy,
Treated water, for example should be used for
agriculture, aquaculture, domestic and municipal purposes, for industrial purposes, for landscape improvement and recreational areas.
THE GEOSTRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF THE RED SEA
The Arabian Peninsula Seas contain two of the most important strategic waterways in the world:
Bab AlMandab and Strait of Hormuz.
Without them much of the geopolitics of the Horn of Africa and South West Asia would make little sense.
Bab AlMandab
The main shipping lanes use the channel to the west of Perim Island. It is estimated that approx. 18.000 ships transit Bab AlMandab annually, or about 50 a/day. Approx 10 percent of Western Europe oil supplies pass through Bab AlMandab which is in the territorial waters of Yemen, Djibuti and Eritrea. Of these, Yemen is well placed to exercise direct control of the shipping lanes.
All of maritime trading nations which use the Suez Canal have an interest that Bab Al-Mandab remains open and safe for shipping. They would find a possible closure of Bab AlMandab very costly. Careful management, particularly in respect of pollution control will become urgent. And further maintain safe and unimpeded movement of shipping.
The States bordering the Arabian Peninsula seas also have an obvious interest in preserving place and stability in the region. Too little attention has been given to the significance of proximity of the southern Red Sea region which includes highly volatile parts of the Horn of Africa at one end, and the Arab-Israel interface at the other. Potential for conflicts and thus regional instability?
The whole art, literature, and culture lie between them.
Although the Sea is a major cause of rivalry and conflict by virtue of geographical configuration, physical resources, and global location, it could be also unifying factor during the forthcoming decade. The guest for regional security, problems of environmental management, and a common desire to limit outside power interference could form the basis for fruitful regional cooperation, and recognition of common problems which can only be solved by regional cooperation. Thus the sea which is a potential source of disunity is also a powerful argument for cooperation.
The Red Sea state may yet to recognize the value of unified political front on matters associated with the sea while gaining space for formulation ideas for their own development. It is the geo-strategic significance of the Red Sea as resource which the Red Sea countries themselves have yet to explore to the full.
But as long as they remain disunited they will be unable to do so. The alternative to conflict resolution and practical cooperation between coastal states will be a period of costly confrontation and environmental deterioration.
THE ROLE OF YEMEN IN THE REGIONAL GROUPING
Should a regional grouping of states emerge around the Red Sea – it will be the Republic of Yemen due to its location across from the Horn of Africa and at the entrance to the Red Sea, as a member of both the Red and the Indian Ocean States
at the hub of world and regional shipping routes,
as bridge between ancient and modern,
as creator of new relationships
that will be once again destined to play an important role.
There must be
Not a balance of power
But a community of power
Not organized rivalries
But a organized peace.
*
REFERENCES:
Ruth Lapidoth – Eschelbacher, The Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, in International Straits of the World, USA (1982)
Harry Bourne, The Phenicians in East Africa, untitled
Irena Knehtl, Economic Interest Will Determine cooperation, in Yemen Times, 12th August, 2002, Sanaa, Yemen
Irena Knehtl, Red Sea on the Crossroads, in Yemen Times issue 690, 1st December, 2003, Sanaa, Yemen
A mere glance at a map of the Middle East gives an indication of the paramount strategic importance of the Red Sea region. Laying as it does between two continents, Africa, and Asia, between the Middle East and Far East, between Europe and Asia, the Red Sea is at the heart of an area which has seen birth of civilizations and religions, and which constitutes a link between two worlds and two civilizations.
The geopolitical position of the Red Sea is of special importance bordering as it does the eastern coast of Africa and the Western Coast of the Arabian Peninsula – it is the vital route for the transportation of oil through Bab AlMandab and the south to the Suez Canal in the north. Thus this narrow band of water shared by a number of coastal states is an important shipping lane linking the world major oceans.
THE RED SEA IN HISTORY
The Red Sea means many different things to different people: a divider of continents, or Tanker alley as it is known for its mercantile profession has played a central role in the history of navigation, communications, and trade between the Arabian Peninsula, Asia, and Europe for at least four thousand years. It is a history full of adventure, excitement and discovery. It has been a crucial waterway ever since Man first took to the sea in boats: "that’s how civilizations grew – by sea – they got contacts, raw materials and inspiration.."
According to an old legend, a certain king cut a channel through the Isthmus at Bab AlMandab in order that the ocean might flow through it and destroy his enemies territory. The Red Sea is one of the first large bodies of water mentioned in recorded history. It is was much less sailed than the Mediterranean. For example, Egyptian vessels sailed through the Red Sea to the Land of Punt, whose location is still unknown, but probably was in East Africa. Since navigation in the Red Sea was so difficult many merchants preferred the territorial route from the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean, a route that crossed the Arabian Peninsula from south to north. Thus precious perfumes, spices, ivory, monkeys and rare birds were brought by ship from India and East Africa to southern Arabia which then were transported over land to the Mediterranean. This trade route, however, could not satisfy Egypt because it was removed from its territory. Therefore it developed its own maritime capabilities in the Red Sea despite the technical difficulties in order to reduce the dangers of navigation which were worse in the southern part of the Red Sea. A port was build in southern Egypt at the place where today the port of Qusayr is situated, some 500 km south of Suez. From these the merchandise was brought over land to Luxor and then on the Nile to the ports of the Mediterranean.
But Egypt was not the only State that sailed the Red Sea. According to the Old Testament King Solomon also built ships which he sent with the help of his Phenician allies from the port of Ezyor Geves – at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba, the remote Ophir. It is still an unknown location, perhaps the same place as the fabulous Punt. It seems that the voyage took three years. Only special vessels known as "tarshisk" ships could be used on these voyages, in exchange for copper, ingots from Israel, they brought back gold, pearls, and incense, as well as peacocks, and monkeys.
If Jezirat Faraoun fits one typical pattern, Jezirat Tiran first yet another. Tiran is another island in the Gulf of Aqaba/Elath but this time at the mouth of the Gulf. Foods from the southern and central parts of the Red Sea were transported to other vessels on an island at the northern end of the Red Sea. Islands offshore were bases that could be made secure in times of trouble was typically Phenician. Both Faraoun and Tiran belong here. It may have meant that the Red Sea commerce was in Phenician hands for a while. Phenician sailors went all the way through the Red Sea and there is some evidence that they may have sailed far into the open of the Atlantic ocean, and back to the Mediterranean. After the Roman conquest of Egypt trade with India and Arabia through the Red Sea reached new peaks. In the year 21 AD for example trade relations between the Roman Empire, and India alone reached a volume of 120 sailings a year.
On the Red Sea or West coasts of Arabia were several kingdoms. They were Ausan (Awsan = Uzal – Sanaa), Hatzar-mavet (Hadramaut), Maen (=Main = Minae) Qataban (=Qahtan = Savtekan), Seba (=Saba = Seva), Joktan (= most of what is now Yemen and Saudi Arabia), etc. Arabian products were aromatic gums, notably myrrh plus frankincense. These gums or resins in Arabia were mainly from plants grown from Yemen and Oman. They came along what might be recalled the Sheba the overland route apparently running parallel with Red Sea coast from Yemen in the south to the Gulf of Aqaba/Elath in the north. They also came in ships build by Phenicians to Aqaba/Elath and further north. Yet it is east/west movement that is best known. Most famous are product from West Arabia/West Yemen reaching parts of east Africa and most notable are from Saba/Sheba.
Punt seems to have been called Gods land by the Egyptians, Punt/God – land seems to have been some part of east Africa that is now represented by such as Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea (formerly coast of Ethiopia) etc. Goods brought from Punt to Egypt included aromatic gums/resins and woods, certain minerals (antimony, tin, gold etc.) The ships in which they came were sometimes of timber. Trading between Egypt and Punt was on a different basis, mainly strings of beads for Puntite raw materials in Punt. Tin was another valuable commodity and remained so even when the combination of tin plus copper.
Legend has it that Phoenicia went to great lengths to obtain tin as Phoenicians did not neglect commercial opportunities. What this also shows is that while commercial rivals, they were also trading partners or partners in trade between Arabs and Phenicians on Red and IOW Seas (=Indian Ocean World). By conquest the Romans also acquired bases in the south of Arabia in order to secure the safety of navigation.
With decline of Roman power, in the area and the resulting economy decay and lack of security the European sailors left the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean. During the period of the Crusaders trade in the Mediterranean increased and cooperation seems to have developed between the Italian cities, whose ships sailed in the Mediterranean and the Arabs who sailed the Indian Ocean.
Throughout history the Yemeni port Aden has been a part of commercial importance as it served as a meeting point of ships coming from the Red Sea from India, from the Persian Gulf and from East Africa. In fact that Somalia has a coast both on the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean gives it enormous strategic importance since it enables it to control navigation in the Red Sea as well as in the Indian Ocean. With three ports in the Indian Ocean one in the Gulf of Aden Somalia overlooks the Cape of Good Hope ocean route and practically control the southern entrances of the Red Sea.
Problems of water and coal supply were solved by establishment of fueling station at Port Said and on Perim Island in the Bab alMandab. Until World War I the shores of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden were under the domination of the Turkish Empire, the British Empire, France and Italy. In the twentieth century the Red Sea reached the zenith of its importance as oil gradually replaced coal as fuel in industry – power generation and transportation in Europe and America. New supertankers, operating at relatively low costs were built and transported oil around the Cape of Good Hope to the Western industrialized world.
More recently, a stream of oil begun to flow through the Red Sea.
By 1990 the water of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden washed the coasts of ten independent states: Egypt, Sudan, Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, (Ethiopia), Djibuti, Somalia and Yemen. The important fact, however is not the great number, but their diversity and heterogeneity in almost every respect, natural resources, wealth, social development, history, religion, ideological orientation, tradition, form of government and relations to the outside powers.
The Red Sea nevertheless preserved its importance as an outlet to the Indian Ocean for the literal states, a role that will be appreciated if we remember that the right of access to the oceans via the Red Sea was among the main cause for the to wars between Israel and Arab States in 1956 and 1967. Egypt since has undertaken important works for deepening of the canal which will also enable very large ships to travel through it. Saudi Arabia has been laying a pipeline from her oil field in the Persian Gulf. The Red Sea has had period of calm and of great activity, depending of technical factors of navigation and prevailing trade patterns.
Even before the Suez canal came into being Red Sea had been of importance over the centuries as an international waterway which favored long distance trade. The Red Sea served as bridge between richest areas in Europe and the Far East but never managed to attract to its shores any significant portion of the wealth which flowed through the waterway.
THE RED SEA TODAY
The Red Sea is a long and narrow body of water which provides a line of communication from the Far East to the Mediterranean and hence to the North Atlantic. The Red Sea is a only moderately integrated into the regional level but it is much more deeply integrated into international level. National pride, regional developments, international commerce and worldwide political events all have played a part in shaping in the Red Sea Region as it exists today.
The geopolitical position of the Red Sea is of special importance bordering as it does the eastern coast of Africa and the western coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is the vital route for the transportation of oil through Bab aa AlMandab and the Suez canal in the North. As much as the international strategic configuration affects the situation in the Red Sea region, the developments in that region have likewise their impact on world affairs. Issues of
- free navigation and
- nuclear disarmament,
- environmental pollution
in particular, will remain of paramount concerns to the states of the region. The Red Sea region is nevertheless relatively poorly explored. The great variety of its natural habitat and the tremendous beauty of its remote uninhabited islands, intricate coral – reefs and desert coast line together with its abundant wild life and rich cultural heritage. Within its boundaries there remain some of the richest coral – reef systems in the world, and modern science has revealed many of its secrets of this submarine realms. The Yemeni Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, for example contain some of worlds most important coastal and marine environments and resources. Almost no rivers flow into the Red Sea except for the Bardra in the Sudan.
One of the characteristics of the Red Sea is its high salinity. The flora of the Red Sea is mainly tropical, similar to the vegetation of the Indian Ocean and in particular to that of the East African Coast. The most spectacular in color, shape and behavior among inhabitants of the coral reef are the tropical fish. The observed color change likely gave the water its present name: the Red Sea. Here are also remote mountains ranges dissected by mystifying wadis, among isolated people seemingly untouched by time, and into mysterious and rarely seen power and beauty of this Desert Sea Region.
The Red Sea remains a major shipping lane and its importance has been increased to international shipping since it links the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean via the Suez Canal. Surrounding countries have all established strong links with the Red Sea weather for fishing, navigation and commerce – or as a source of sea – salt commerce.
In the recent years these have been added in an increase in leisure activities, and tourism and industrial projects such as desalinated fresh water.
The central portion of the Red Sea is unique in that the medium rift has created rich deposits of heavy metals. Zinc 3,4 %, copper 1,3 %, lead 0,1 %, silver 54 %, and gold 0,5 % parts per million.
The Red sea is a relatively clean area.
The Red Sea region faces a huge number of problems:
Demographic imbalance, pollution, environmental degradation, etc. and many others. They will certainly intensify and coastal population will increase in size. It will be only though focusing their attention on the Red Sea area, through cooperation and dialogue on matters associated with the sea, and in particular, mutual economic cooperation, projects of common interest, and trade, that they will be able to overcome problems and difficulties a potential source of instability and friction.
A solid base, a strong regional and sub-regional, system should be created in the area. But this will be only possible if literal states will overcome their weakness and will consolidate economic, political and strategic cooperation among themselves.
Such cooperation would not only foster peace and stability in the area but will also increase the prosperity and welfare of the peoples of the area.
DIALOGUE AND SOLIDARIY
Remain the only valid means available for transforming the Red Sea into a zone of peace, cooperation, mutual economic cooperation and partnerships. They would further create awareness and possibilities for such cooperation. But there is no doubt that the Arabian Peninsula and the Nile Valley for now remain primarily concerned with their own respective regional realities.
SHAPING THE FUTURE
So far no oil or gas is being extracted from the Red Sea apart from the Gulf of Suez whose fields are very important to Egypt. Offshore natural gas production around Arabia is already important. In future it will become an even more valuable resource as it is increasingly utilized in large industrial development in particularly petrochemicals.
A second potential source of offshore wealth lies in the metal bearing mud of the Red Sea. A number of extremely deep depressions oat depth of around 2.200 meters were located in the Red Sea. Quantities are estimated to be 1,7 million tones of zinc, 400.000 tons of copper, 4.000 tons of silver as well as gold, lead, and iron. There are also metal bearing mud. Exploration will be costly and difficult but nevertheless these metal bearing mud are regarded by Sudan and Saudi Arabia as a potential source of wealth.
Sugar industry has considerable potential for expansion. Neighboring countries in the Middle East are a potential natural market.
Application of water and electricity inputs will further enable farmers to rise production on existing fields.
Specialized agriculture production, including fruits and vegetables, oil seeds, spices, garden seeds, and flowers that could be attractive to innovative investors.
Conditions also favor specialized livestock and poultry operation and fish farming.
Food processing for domestic use and export also have enormous potential for agriculture.
Textile industry is capable of great expansion.
Hydroelectric power potential is 98 percent under developed.
Live animals, hides and skins need to be upgraded.
Ethiopias great reserves of man power are best kept on the land. There is, however need to restore and improve degraded land in the highlands, and improve storage facilities.
For supply or export of power Sudanese petroleum could benefit all.
While Horn countries can lay the basis for a cooperative development in all aspect of energy production.
Sudans hydropower potential is also very high.
Transportation, logistics is another field in which Red sea countries can gain great benefit from cooperation. Better high ways would facilitate trade, rapid expansion of tourist services and specialized tourism.
Fishing is important around the Arabian Peninsula and most national development plans envisage contained expansion of commercial fishing. Growing interest in fisheries has given impetus to national claims to exclusive fishing zones. This matter is of particular importance to Yemen where export trade is headed by fish products.
The desire to extend territorial waters has become more pressing in recent years.
On matters of the sea careful management, particularly, in respect of environment and pollution control will become urgent.
DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR VALUE CREATION
With free movement of people, trade and mutual economic cooperation the Red Sea countries will developed more rapidly.
Red Sea ports, for example, are ideally positioned for further growth.
Foreign policies should be geared for maximum maneuver in the global economy in order to connect local needs with global resources.
Such policies should be aimed at economic growth and employment opportunities, sustainable development models should mobilize resources.
The overall objective, however, should be to create conditions for rapid economic growth, and a raising standard of living for the population.
Good policies, and promising potential should leave the countries of the region in position to complete.
Sound financial management, creation and maintenance of favorable provisions for domestic and foreign investment, expansion of democracy and improvements in provisions for enforcing social justice – once set in motion economic growth feeds itself.
An eventual creation of a Red Sea free trade (and investment) zone would contribute to awareness of opportunities leading to eventual full economic cooperation, and a harmonious development to meet the challenges of 21 century which is to dismantle the "big" and develop the people.
On matters of the sea careful management, particularly in respect of environment and pollution control will become urgent.
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THE NEW RED SEA REGION
The aim should be to bring people of the region together, businesses and organizations of the region together, and providing added value to both people and businesses. Thus the new Red Sea region should be characterized by regional cooperation.
Free zones can play a role in facilitation industrial development and the flow of trade between countries of the region. Internal trading agreement should define the mechanism and framework of collaboration aiming for the regional countries to achieve best project results.
Some proposed regional development projects of mutual interest:
Infrastructural Projects
Transportation, comprehensive regional transportation network, roads, marine, and air transport. Resulting from such network would substantially enhance the movement of people and goods across national boundaries and expand the market size of each country.
Roads, airports, electricity and energy, petroleum and industry focus on complementarily in the region, and industries that provide high added value to accelerate economic growth through an aggressive policy and that target international markets.
Construction materials: cement plants, mining for construction material
Food and fishery processing:
preparation of cash crops for export, processing and canning of vegetables and fruits, development of fishery facilities, marketing infrastructure, upgrading of ports and airports, spinning, textile, and ready-made garments.
New free zone on Suez Canal in Amriya, Alexandria will produce polyprophylene polymers. Standardization should serves as basis for promotion of industry and quality. All levels of standardization should be considered, whether national, regional and international.
Agriculture:
Eco- farming, vegetable, flowers, and ornamental decorating plant.
Ego farming: cereals, oil crops, vegetables, fruits, aromatic oil, medical plants, and concentrates, animal products, forest and agro-forestry.
Bio- Technology: tissue culture, desert farming, coastal protection, waters resource management, sugar crops.
Tourism,
recreational, religious, cultural and health tourism, diving, yachting tourism. Health farms, culture and heritage preservation, regional cultural heritage, integrated cultural heritage sites management
Free Zones
in the selected areas should serve as basis for increased trade among member countries. Such zones will be attractive strategic areas for investment and provide direct access to the market. Creating central locations that would serve as platforms for cooperation among countries. Further free zones specializing in export oriented industries.
High Technology:
software industry, computer business, biomedical technology, environment, communication, agriculture and biotechnology, regional information highway.
Human Resources Development:
The key prerequisite to regional development and national growth. To achieve regional development comprehensive human resource development strategies based on education and professional development (investment in human capital) through regional training centers.
Environment
The protection of environment is a challenge for all countries of the region.
Waste water treatment
Red Sea program for desalination technology
Red Sea green program
Regional gene bank program
Clean red sea region project
Gulf of Aqaba protection program
The technology used for treatment facilities should include low cost technologies such as stabilization ponds, wetlands, aerated lagoon technology, renewable energy,
Treated water, for example should be used for
agriculture, aquaculture, domestic and municipal purposes, for industrial purposes, for landscape improvement and recreational areas.
THE GEOSTRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF THE RED SEA
The Arabian Peninsula Seas contain two of the most important strategic waterways in the world:
Bab AlMandab and Strait of Hormuz.
Without them much of the geopolitics of the Horn of Africa and South West Asia would make little sense.
Bab AlMandab
The main shipping lanes use the channel to the west of Perim Island. It is estimated that approx. 18.000 ships transit Bab AlMandab annually, or about 50 a/day. Approx 10 percent of Western Europe oil supplies pass through Bab AlMandab which is in the territorial waters of Yemen, Djibuti and Eritrea. Of these, Yemen is well placed to exercise direct control of the shipping lanes.
All of maritime trading nations which use the Suez Canal have an interest that Bab Al-Mandab remains open and safe for shipping. They would find a possible closure of Bab AlMandab very costly. Careful management, particularly in respect of pollution control will become urgent. And further maintain safe and unimpeded movement of shipping.
The States bordering the Arabian Peninsula seas also have an obvious interest in preserving place and stability in the region. Too little attention has been given to the significance of proximity of the southern Red Sea region which includes highly volatile parts of the Horn of Africa at one end, and the Arab-Israel interface at the other. Potential for conflicts and thus regional instability?
The whole art, literature, and culture lie between them.
Although the Sea is a major cause of rivalry and conflict by virtue of geographical configuration, physical resources, and global location, it could be also unifying factor during the forthcoming decade. The guest for regional security, problems of environmental management, and a common desire to limit outside power interference could form the basis for fruitful regional cooperation, and recognition of common problems which can only be solved by regional cooperation. Thus the sea which is a potential source of disunity is also a powerful argument for cooperation.
The Red Sea state may yet to recognize the value of unified political front on matters associated with the sea while gaining space for formulation ideas for their own development. It is the geo-strategic significance of the Red Sea as resource which the Red Sea countries themselves have yet to explore to the full.
But as long as they remain disunited they will be unable to do so. The alternative to conflict resolution and practical cooperation between coastal states will be a period of costly confrontation and environmental deterioration.
THE ROLE OF YEMEN IN THE REGIONAL GROUPING
Should a regional grouping of states emerge around the Red Sea – it will be the Republic of Yemen due to its location across from the Horn of Africa and at the entrance to the Red Sea, as a member of both the Red and the Indian Ocean States
at the hub of world and regional shipping routes,
as bridge between ancient and modern,
as creator of new relationships
that will be once again destined to play an important role.
There must be
Not a balance of power
But a community of power
Not organized rivalries
But a organized peace.
*
REFERENCES:
Ruth Lapidoth – Eschelbacher, The Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, in International Straits of the World, USA (1982)
Harry Bourne, The Phenicians in East Africa, untitled
Irena Knehtl, Economic Interest Will Determine cooperation, in Yemen Times, 12th August, 2002, Sanaa, Yemen
Irena Knehtl, Red Sea on the Crossroads, in Yemen Times issue 690, 1st December, 2003, Sanaa, Yemen
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