Renewed Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and persistent instability affecting the Strait of Hormuz have reinforced the strategic importance of the Indo-Mediterranean corridor linking Europe, Africa and Asia through the Suez Canal and the Horn of Africa. Against this backdrop, Med-Or Italian Foundation and the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Djibouti signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Rome on 23 July to strengthen cooperation on critical infrastructure, digital connectivity, energy systems and strategic dialogue.
The agreement was signed during the high-level seminar “Djibouti and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait: The Crossroads between Europe, Africa and Asia,” hosted by Med-Or with the participation of H.E. Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh, Minister of Economy and Finance and Minister in charge of Industry of the Republic of Djibouti.
The event brought together senior representatives from Italian public institutions, financial institutions and leading industrial companies to discuss bilateral cooperation opportunities at a time of growing strategic relevance for the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, with a particular focus on infrastructure, subsea connectivity and energy resilience.
A framework for long-term cooperation. The Memorandum establishes a framework for cooperation across three main areas.
- The first focuses on the development of initiatives related to critical and subsea infrastructure, with particular attention to telecommunications, regional energy interconnections and technical cooperation.
- The second aims to strengthen strategic dialogue on regional connectivity and Djibouti’s role as a gateway linking Europe, Africa and Asia.
- The third provides for the joint organisation of conferences, seminars and other initiatives involving public institutions, research centres and industry.
The strategic value of the Red Sea. Held under the Chatham House Rule, the seminar explored the economic and security dynamics shaping the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden corridor, a region whose geopolitical and commercial significance has grown considerably in recent years. The discussions also highlighted the area’s relevance for the implementation of Italy’s Mattei Plan.
- Located at the entrance to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Djibouti occupies a pivotal geostrategic position connecting Europe, Africa and Asia. The country has also emerged as one of Africa’s leading digital connectivity hubs, hosting one of the continent’s largest concentrations of subsea cable landing stations—critical infrastructure underpinning global communications and network security.
- During the roundtable, Minister Dawaleh outlined Djibouti’s long-term economic development priorities, emphasising the need to strengthen the resilience of subsea digital networks, expand regional energy interconnections and develop port infrastructure to support growing international trade flows.
The growing importance of the subsea domain. Participants also stressed the increasing strategic relevance of the subsea domain. Telecommunications cables, power interconnections and maritime routes have become essential components of global financial stability, digital connectivity and international security, making their protection an increasingly important element of both economic and geopolitical strategy.
The bottom line: With the signing of the Memorandum, Med-Or and Djibouti’s Ministry of Economy and Finance reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing cooperation on resilient infrastructure, technological innovation and sustainable connectivity. The agreement also reinforces Med-Or’s role in promoting dialogue and strategic partnerships between Italy and Africa on issues of common strategic interest.
