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Egypt seeks calm in Bab Al-Mandeb as Gaza ceasefire takes effect

January 22, 2025 at 11:01 am

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the Ittihadiye Palace in Cairo, Egypt on February 14, 2024 [Utku Ucrak/Anadolu via Getty Images]

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi said yesterday that Cairo “seeks to achieve calm in the Bab Al-Mandeb region, coinciding with the successful conclusion of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.”

This remark was made during his meeting with the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation, Arsenio Dominguez, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency.

During the meeting, the officials discussed the situation in the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait and ways to restore security to the region, highlighting its critical importance for global maritime trade routes.

Al-Sisi expressed Egypt’s aspirations to stabilise the area, especially following the successful Gaza ceasefire agreement, as part of efforts to restore regional security.

In late December 2024, Egypt revealed that revenues from the Suez Canal had decreased by approximately $7 billion in 2024 due to ongoing events in the Red Sea and Bab Al-Mandeb regions. These events negatively impacted canal traffic and global trade sustainability.

In solidarity with Gaza amid Israel’s bombing campaign, Yemen’s Houthi forces have targeted Israeli-linked cargo ships in the Red Sea with missiles and drones since November 2023. They also began striking US and UK-linked vessels after the Western states carried out air strikes on Yemen in support of Israel.

On Thursday, Houthi leader Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi stated in a speech: “Since November 2023, we have conducted 1,255 operations involving ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missiles, drones and naval vessels.”

“We will continue monitoring the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Any Israeli violations, massacres, or sieges will be met with immediate military support for the Palestinian people.”

The Gaza ceasefire, mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States, took effect on 19 January. The agreement’s first phase will last 42 days, during which further negotiations will determine the second and third phases.

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