In recent years, the Red Sea region has become an epicentre of geopolitical tension, posing a significant threat to maritime stability. TheInternational Maritime Organization (IMO), tasked with ensuring the safety and security of maritime navigation worldwide, faces unprecedented challenges in maintaining order in this tumultuous environment. The decline of multilateralism, fuelled by geopolitical conflicts and great power rivalries, is eroding the effectiveness of the IMO, leaving the Red Sea Crisis unresolved and maritime safety compromised.
The Secretary general of IMO admitted that the crisis in the Red Sea is geopolitical in nature and IMO’s capacity to put the crisis under control is beyond its reach. His concern was delivered amid the increasing attacks against the Indian Ocean cargo vessels passing the Red Sea, following the war between Israel and Palestine that has been renewed since October 2023.
The crisis escalates after Iran’s backed Houthi launched numerous attacks in the Red Sea which restarted since October 9th 2023, resulted in number of ports blockade, following with the ban of ships passage through Suez Canal. The crisis is reportedly severely disrupt the busiest shipping lane, through Bab al Mandeb, which handles about 30% of global contained traffic. Increased attack on vessel and piracy have led to a 1,3% decline in international trade through the Red Sea and shipping delays rising over 25%. These economic shocks highlight the global stakes but also the difficulty of achieving multilateral consensus to safeguard these vital routes amid the ongoing conflict. The maritime economy in the region is further damaging as Israel and Iran enter an official phase of a total war. Missiles have been exchanged and number of victims from both sides is predicted to increase.
Read more at https://www.globalsouthforum.org/article/how-multilateralism-crumbles-in-the-face-of-the-red-sea-crisis
