Briefly: Evaluating U.S. Policy in the Red Sea Arena with Payton Knopf

We know that it’s hard to stay up-to-date on USIP’s latest publications, so we’ve challenged our teams to summarize their latest research in less than a minute. This is “Briefly.” Over the last year, the U.S. Institute of Peace convened a bipartisan Senior Study Group composed of nine former U.S. officials with decades of expertise in diplomacy, defense and security policy, and humanitarian and development assistance to reconsider U.S. policy in the Red Sea arena. The group determined that, while the Horn of Africa has been fundamentally reshaped in recent years, and is now an integral part of the security systems of the Middle East, the broader Indian Ocean, and the Mediterranean, U.S. strategy has struggled to keep pace. To address this gap, the Study Group has outlined a detailed policy blueprint to advance and defend U.S.

interests in this dynamic region based on four pillars. Number one: a political and diplomatic strategy to inoculate the Horn of Africa against the fallout of Middle Eastern rivalries. Number two: designation of either a special envoy or the deputy secretary of state to lead the development and execution of an integrated diplomatic strategy for the Red Sea arena. Number three: a realignment of U.S. assistance in the Red Sea arena to promote inclusive, legitimate governance and economic growth. And number four: an active congressional engagement. .