Sisi and Saudi Crown Prince in Cairo Stress Importance of Safe Navigation in Bab el-Mandeb and Red Sea

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stressed on Tuesday the importance of safe navigation in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea, during talks held in Cairo, the Egyptian presidency announced.

According to the official statement, Sisi expressed Egypt’s full support for the measures Saudi Arabia takes to protect its security and stability, as well as for efforts to reach a sustainable political solution to the conflict with Yemen.

The meeting comes at a critical moment: the Iran-backed Houthis have tightened control over Yemen’s western coast and over strategic islands at the entrance to the Red Sea, threatening one of the most important arteries of world trade — at a time when the Strait of Hormuz remains practically blocked by the U.S.–Iran war.

Egypt is directly affected by the crisis, as revenues from the Suez Canal — closely tied to Red Sea traffic — have been hit hard by insecurity on the region’s sea routes.

The Cairo talks reflect growing concern in Arab capitals about the escalation in Yemen and diplomatic efforts to prevent the full closure of a vital corridor for the global economy.

Source: Al Jazeera