Africa Watch: Why should Africa be watching the 'Gate of Tears'?

What happens when one of the world’s most important shipping routes becomes too risky to use? The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, also known as the “Gate of Tears”, is less than 30 km wide, but it connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and carries a huge share of global trade.

If ships start avoiding it and sail around Africa instead, the effects could reach us through fuel prices, imports, shipping costs – and even create new opportunities for African ports.

So… why should Africa be watching the “Gate of Tears”? Hear our reporter Robert Nagila unpack its importance in this episode of Africa Watch.