Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty stressed on Tuesday that Egypt will never allow any non-littoral state to interfere in Red Sea security matters, nor will it allow any attempts to gain access to the Red Sea.
During a meeting with members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Cairo, Abdelatty explained that Egypt is doing everything in its power to secure the Red Sea.
Due to instability in the Gulf of Aden and the southern Red Sea, the minister explained that Egypt incurred losses of approximately nine billion dollars last year, and international trade was significantly impacted.
The minister affirmed that Cairo supports and welcomes all attempts at economic and security integration in the region, so long as it is done in accordance with the principles of the United Nations and international law, without interference from any foreign party, all while preserving the sovereignty of states and respecting their internal affairs.
Abdelatty added that integration must be based on equality and serve the security of the region and the prosperity of its people.
He continued that without political efforts that pave the way for a two-state solution—Israel and Palestine—with the 1967 borders as the basis for a Palestinian state and East Jerusalem as its capital, there can be no stability within the region.
Abdelatty also noted the efforts of US President Donald Trump to halt the war in Gaza, work towards forming an international stabilization force there, and also resolve the conflict in Sudan.
