Egypt’s el-Sisi meets MBS, backs Saudi call for secure Red Sea navigation

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Cairo on Tuesday, endorsing Saudi demands for secure, unhindered passage through the Red Sea, according to an Egyptian presidency statement. The Saudi delegation included Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan among other senior officials, and state statements stressed that ties between Cairo and Riyadh should set an example within the Arab world.

Both sides underlined the strategic importance of maritime security. The Saudi Press Agency quoted Mohammed bin Salman stressing the need for safe navigation in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and across the Red Sea, a message that comes after Houthi forces captured Mocha port and now exercise effective control over the Bab al-Mandeb. Although the Houthis have said they will not disrupt shipping, Saudi-linked vessels have been attacked in recent months.

The disruptions have had a material economic effect on Egypt. The Suez Canal Authority reported that Egypt lost about $7 billion in revenues between 2023 and 2024 — roughly a 60 percent decline for the waterway — highlighting the canal’s continued significance as a source of foreign currency for Cairo.

Egypt’s presidency also emphasised efforts toward a sustainable political solution to the Yemen conflict and framed the security of Saudi Arabia and Gulf states as integral to Egyptian national security. Despite the regional tensions and the Houthi actions affecting Red Sea traffic, Egypt has so far refrained from taking military measures to halt the disruptions to tanker movements.