Colonel Waiss Omar Bogoreh, the commander of the Djiboutian Coast Guard, has revealed that the Djiboutian Coast Guard forces have tripled their patrols in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden compared to normal times, as this area is a vital artery representing the trade and energy flow of the world. He expressed his belief that the current impact on Djibouti's maritime security is limited and is anticipated to remain so in the foreseeable future.

Colonel Bogoreh, in an interview with "Asharq Al-Awsat", clarified that the Djiboutian Coast Guard has high coordination with the Djibouti Navy and other naval forces beyond Djibouti's territorial waters to secure ships and global trade passing through Bab-el-Mandeb, the Gulf of Aden, and the western Indian Ocean.

Bogoreh, speaking from the headquarters of the Djibouti Coast Guard, affirmed that his forces have provided assistance and security services in recent weeks and rescued many ships affected by the escalating tension in the Red Sea. He added, "There are also ships waiting for security reasons, some ships were damaged and came for maintenance which was then carried out here, after which they continued their journey, and some ships are still present as our region is safe."

Coordination with Saudi Arabia

The commander of the Djiboutian Coast Guard, a graduate of the "King Fahd Naval College" in Jubail, thanked the Djiboutian and Saudi governments for their coordination, attention, and tremendous efforts in securing maritime security in this vital region for the world.

While Colonel Bogoreh was giving us a field tour to see the efforts of the Djiboutian Coast Guard, we saw dozens of ships moored in Djibouti's territorial waters, many of which preferred to wait and perhaps change their routes due to the escalating events in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

Bogoreh confirmed that there are ready plans and strategies to face any challenges now and in the future. He also discussed many other important issues, stating, "The Djiboutian Coast Guard is an institution tasked with maritime security and works tirelessly to perform its duties at sea, especially in Djibouti's territorial waters and the adjacent international waters."

He added, "We make tremendous efforts to preserve maritime security and rescue lives, and to implement national and international maritime law, especially during these critical times when we double the effort to achieve the desired goal of securing money, ships, and the people who work at sea."

Doubling Maritime Patrols

The Djiboutian official insisted that the escalation of tensions in the region, especially what is happening in the Red Sea, Bab-el-Mandeb, the Gulf of Aden, and the western Indian Ocean, including piracy, has pushed the Djiboutian Coast Guard to double its efforts to preserve maritime security in the territorial and neighboring waters.

He continued, "On the other hand, we participate with the forces present in the region, especially the Djibouti Navy and the other naval forces that are concentrated beyond Djibouti's territorial waters, and we coordinate, cooperate, and exchange experiences. The ultimate goal is how to maintain maritime security and how ships and global trade passing through Bab-el-Mandeb, the Gulf of Aden, and the western Indian Ocean can be safe in this area." The commander of the Djiboutian Coast Guard emphasized that the impact of the ongoing events in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden is limited on Djibouti and will remain that way in the future.

In his discussion with "Asharq Al-Awsat," he stated that "the problem has begun, and its impact on Djibouti's maritime security and coast is limited. In the future, we expect that to remain the case. However, because the region is vital, we will undoubtedly be affected by these problems economically. As a security matter, we are present and will not be much affected. But economically, since we depend 80 percent on sea trade, and some ships or companies have changed their direction, it will undoubtedly affect our economy."

Ready to Face Threats

Colonel Bogoreh said, "Certainly, if your neighbor catches fire, it will reach you at varying levels of danger. But thank God, with the tremendous efforts made by the Republic of Djibouti to secure its maritime and land borders, its fruit has come, and Djibouti's security and economy have not been affected by what is happening in the region. We hope this continues and that this country enjoys prosperity and the blessing of security, just as we hope our neighbors enjoy the same security and stability."

While Colonel Bogoreh was reviewing some of the commercial ships moored in Djibouti's territorial waters, he confirmed that his country has "plans and strategies ready to face any challenges arising in this region."

He remarked while passing by a giant Singaporean ship, "In general, the government, especially the Coast Guard and the Navy, is fully ready to face any challenges that occur. Being officers responsible for maritime security around the clock, even in the absence of a visible threat, we must be ready at any moment. When challenges occur, the force is prepared threefold. The existing challenges are what we are ready for now and in the future."

Assisting Ships at Sea

Colonel Bogoreh stated, "Within and beyond Djibouti's territorial waters, the Coast Guard has provided assistance and security services to many commercial ships passing through the Red Sea, Bab-el-Mandeb, and the Gulf of Aden amid the current events."

He added, "We helped many ships, in fact, offering facilities to ships outside the region. Although Djibouti's territorial waters are several nautical miles from the Djiboutian coast, we provided security services to ships and rescued some from pirate attacks within Bab-el-Mandeb. I recall three ships and three operations in recent weeks."

"In the current events, we help secure the ships and ensure their safe passage in the region. There are ships waiting for security reasons, and some that were damaged came for maintenance that was done here then they continued their journey. Some ships are still present because our region is secure. Any ship that is waiting or needs maritime escort or otherwise, here it can rest, take logistics, and prepare for the upcoming trip in peace and comfort."

Military Bases

Responding to a question about fears of targeting foreign military bases in Djibouti due to tension in the Red Sea with the Houthi group, Colonel Bogoreh said, "The bases are symbolic and do not participate in the issues. Mostly their navy is not present; it is us who are at sea, and they are small groups located on land only and have no relation to what is happening at sea. They are guests in our country and are safe, and I do not think the bases will be affected by what is happening in the Red Sea and Bab-el-Mandeb."

During our presence in the office of the commander of the Djiboutian Coast Guard, the presence of two pictures behind him of the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) during a sea tour accompanied by Colonel Bogoreh caught our attention, so we asked him about the story. He replied, "About six years ago, President Abu Mazen visited Djibouti to inaugurate the Palestinian embassy, then he requested to go to the sea, so I took him on this cruise as you can see in the pictures hanging in my office."