Cairo, Nov. 5 — Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki said Tuesday that countries in the Horn of Africa bear primary responsibility for maintaining security along the Red Sea, warning against foreign interference in the region.

In an interview with Egyptian media lasting over 20 minutes, Afwerki addressed long-standing tensions in the Red Sea and broader security challenges affecting the Horn of Africa, including Somalia, Ethiopia, and South Sudan.

"Somalia is a country with 3,300 kilometers of coastline, and this length of coastline in such a strategic location has denied the country stability," he said. "Somalia's problem is not just internal but also a regional and global issue."

He also cited South Sudan, which seceded from Sudan, as an example of a country destabilized by internal ethnic divisions and civil conflict.

Afwerki stressed that nations bordering the Red Sea must take the lead in safeguarding its maritime routes. "The region does not need outside powers to intervene. Coastal states must be able to protect their waters and strategic waterways," he said.

He described Red Sea security as a historic necessity and a shared responsibility for all countries along its shores.