The stability of the Horn of Africa is profoundly affected by the ongoing global power transition and resultant intense regional rivalries. This environment attracts emerging external powers, including China, Turkey, and the Gulf states, who provide significant infrastructure investment and alternatives to traditional Western partnerships. However, this increased engagement fuels instability, manifesting as pervasive militarization, a scramble for ports, and shifting regional alignment structures. The propensity of these external actors to instrumentalize local conflicts and political fragmentation serves their own strategic objectives, actively generating "insecurity spillover". This dynamic is exemplified by Ethiopia’s quest for Red Sea access, which reignited regional tensions. Ultimately, external agendas are actively sidelining African-led solutions, necessitating the strengthening of institutions like IGAD and the AU for effective crisis management.