Herzog’s visit to Addis Ababa and the new horn of Africa race for influence

Israeli President Isaac Herzog arrived in Addis Ababa today, placing the Horn of Africa at the center of an intensifying regional and international struggle for influence. The visit to the Ethiopian capital comes amid growing geopolitical competition and cannot be viewed in isolation from the recent regional tour by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Together, these developments reflect an accelerating race among Middle Eastern and emerging powers to secure strategic footholds as Turkish, Egyptian, and Gulf engagement across the region expands.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan paid an official visit to Ethiopia earlier this month, marking a highly symbolic moment in relations between Ankara and Addis Ababa. The trip coincided with the 100th anniversary of Türkiye’s embassy opening in Addis Ababa in 1926—one of the country’s earliest diplomatic missions on the African continent. The visit was also Erdoğan’s first official trip to Ethiopia since 2015, underscoring its importance in revitalizing high-level engagement after more than a decade.

Erdoğan was received with full state honors by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, signaling the significance Addis Ababa attached to the occasion. The two leaders held comprehensive bilateral talks aimed at “reaffirming longstanding diplomatic ties.” Discussions focused on “strengthening political dialogue, deepening economic collaboration, and enhancing cultural exchanges,” as Türkiye continues to broaden its diplomatic and strategic presence across Africa.

In recent years, diplomatic engagement between Gulf states and Addis Ababa has also intensified. High-level visits and “strategic consultations” have become more frequent, reflecting Ethiopia’s growing political and economic importance within the Horn of Africa.

The United Arab Emirates has long been regarded as one of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s strongest regional partners. Since Abiy assumed office in 2018, Abu Dhabi has played a significant role in supporting Ethiopia politically and economically. The UAE provided critical financial assistance during periods of economic strain and has invested heavily in infrastructure, logistics, energy, and agriculture. Close ties between Emirati leadership and Ethiopia’s government have positioned the UAE as a key strategic partner in both development initiatives and regional diplomacy.

Saudi Arabia has similarly intensified its diplomatic outreach to Addis Ababa. In recent weeks, Riyadh dispatched its foreign minister to Ethiopia, signaling strengthened bilateral relations. Saudi engagement reflects broader strategic interests tied to the Red Sea corridor, and containing the UAE influence in the region.

Israel has now entered the equation. Since its recognition of Somaliland as an “independent state,” Israel has moved to expand its diplomatic and strategic reach across the Horn of Africa. The effort appears aimed at entrenching Israel’s long-term presence in a region that sits along critical maritime trade routes linking Africa, the Gulf, and Asia. Analysts view the move as part of a broader attempt to materialize a geopolitical foothold while aligning itself with Gulf and wider Middle East actors increasingly competing for influence along the Red Sea corridor. In doing so, Israel joins an intensifying contest among regional and international powers seeking security partnerships and maritime influences.

Parallel to these geopolitical objectives, President Herzog’s visit is also widely viewed as part of a broader diplomatic effort to counter international isolation stemming from the war in Gaza. Israeli outreach across Africa has sought to weaken blocs critical of its policies by offering expanded military cooperation, technological partnerships, and security assistance to vulnerable states across the continent.

These developments underline how the Horn of Africa has increasingly evolved into a major geopolitical arena where Middle Eastern and emerging powers are actively competing for influence and long-term strategic access. The region’s proximity to the Red Sea and its position along some of the world’s most vital maritime trade routes have elevated its importance in global power calculations.

This growing engagement is closely tied to broader struggles over access, security, and control of strategic corridors surrounding the Red Sea. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, in particular, remains a critical chokepoint for international shipping, linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. As global trade and energy supplies transit these waters, both emerging and established powers are seeking to strengthen partnerships and expand their presence across the surrounding region.

Consequently, the Horn of Africa has become a theater of overlapping interests and competing spheres of influence. Recent high-level visits from Israel, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and other regional actors reflect intensifying diplomatic competition. Rather than isolated events, these engagements form part of a broader contest for influence, access, and geopolitical leverage in one of the world’s most strategically significant regions.