Egypt could be most affected by Red Sea escalation, says foreign minister

Egypt could be the nation most affected by the escalation in the Red Sea, claimed Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Egyptian Expatriates’ Affairs Dr Badr Abdel Aaty during a press conference in Kuwait on Sunday.

Abdel Aaty warned that increased militarisation in the Red Sea would severely harm global trade and Egypt’s economy. He also pointed to a significant decline in Suez Canal revenues due to what he described as “unacceptable” tensions along the vital maritime trade route.

During his visit to the Gulf state, Dr Abdel Aaty met his Kuwaiti counterpart, Abdullah Al-Yahya. According to Ambassador Tameem Khalaf, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cairo, both ministers emphasised the need to implement directives from President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and the Emir of Kuwait to deepen and expand bilateral relations further. They praised the strong ties and historical connections between Egypt and Kuwait and expressed optimism about advancing cooperation.

The ministers also stressed the importance of following up on the outcomes of the 13th session of the Joint Higher Committee, which convened in Cairo in September. They highlighted the need to implement signed memorandums of understanding and cooperation programmes across the political, economic, trade, educational, consular and cultural fields.

Preparations for the 14th session of the Joint Higher Committee, scheduled to be held in Kuwait, were also discussed, with a shared commitment to enhancing bilateral relations at all levels.

READ: Kuwait revokes 4,280 nationalities in 3 weeks