Red Sea Security: Saudi Arabia has appointed Rear Admiral Abdullah bin Salem Al-Shehri to lead its new Multinational Maritime Defense Coalition, bringing together 14 founding states including Djibouti to protect Bab al-Mandeb, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden as Houthi attacks keep shipping under pressure. Djibouti Debt Watch: A new economic assessment urges Djibouti to tighten debt controls, reform state-owned enterprises and boost domestic revenue collection, warning public debt hit about 64% of GDP in 2025. Somalia Mission Funding: An Amani Africa review says Somalia’s AUSSOM peacekeeping future is still unresolved after the Kampala summit failed to secure financing or a political plan, leaving troop-contributing countries to prepare for an uncertain exit. Horn of Africa Flashpoints: Reports warn of renewed military and political escalation around Ethiopia’s Tigray, with concerns that Eritrean involvement could widen the conflict. Health & Trade Risk: Djibouti is highlighted as a key entry point for the urban malaria threat from Anopheles stephensi, which is spreading across African cities and driving a major drugmaker boom. Business & Connectivity: Djibouti-linked regional logistics and Ethiopia’s cold-chain push via Cool Port Addis are framed as boosting East African horticulture exports, while Kenya’s new undersea cable plans underline the region’s growing connectivity race.