Arab News | Egypt backs Saudi security, maritime freedom during crown prince’s visit

CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi reaffirmed Cairo’s support for Saudi Arabia’s security and sovereignty during talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Cairo on Thursday, as the two leaders discussed mounting regional tensions and the security of key maritime routes.

The crown prince was received by El-Sisi on a state visit that came amid heightened instability across the Middle East.

Egyptian presidential spokesman Ambassador Mohamed El-Shenawy said El-Sisi stressed that the security of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states was “an integral part of Egypt’s national security.”

Egypt “categorically rejects and strongly condemns any attacks or threats that undermine the Kingdom’s sovereignty, stability and territorial integrity,” as well as threats to freedom of navigation in international waterways, he said.

According to the Egyptian presidency, the two leaders agreed that current circumstances required closer coordination and solidarity between Cairo and Riyadh.

They said that the two countries shared common interests and objectives and agreed to intensify efforts to strengthen cooperation, remove obstacles to trade and investment and deepen their strategic partnership.

Regional security featured prominently in the talks, particularly the protection of maritime navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, Bab Al-Mandab Strait and the Red Sea.

El-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt’s support for measures taken by Saudi Arabia to protect its security and stability, as well as efforts to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable political solution to the conflict in Yemen.

The Egyptian presidency said that both sides agreed on the need for continued coordination in response to wider regional challenges.

The crown prince expressed appreciation for Egypt’s position under El-Sisi in support of regional stability and peace efforts, as well as Cairo’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia in confronting recent geopolitical challenges.

Ambassador Salah Halima, a former Egyptian assistant foreign minister, told Arab News that the visit was among the most important recent exchanges between the two countries because it came at a time of intense regional escalation.

El-Sisi’s rejection of attacks or threats against Saudi sovereignty reflected the depth of political and security cooperation between Cairo and Riyadh, particularly over Red Sea security, he said.

The two countries also shared a common position on the Palestinian issue, including support for a just and comprehensive settlement based on the two-state solution and relevant international resolutions, he said.

Sudan was also discussed during the talks.

The two sides reaffirmed their support for Sudan’s security and stability and stressed the need to preserve the authority of its national institutions.

They rejected equating the Sudanese Armed Forces with militias or other parallel armed entities and warned that any threat to Sudan’s unity and territorial integrity would have consequences for the wider security of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the region.

Ambassador Mohamed Hegazi, another former assistant foreign minister, told Arab News that the timing of the visit gave it particular significance.

Egypt carried considerable political and security weight in issues concerning the Red Sea and freedom of navigation, he said, adding that Cairo had maintained channels of communication with various regional parties.

Hegazi pointed to El-Sisi’s meeting with the Iranian president at the BRICS summit in New Delhi, saying that it had conveyed a clear Egyptian message on the need to halt attacks and reduce regional tensions.

Ambassador Rakha Ahmed Hassan, another former assistant foreign minister, said that Saudi-Egyptian relations extended across political, security and economic fields.

The crown prince’s visit was particularly important given concerns over Red Sea navigation and recent Houthi escalation, he said.

The two leaders discussed wider Middle East developments, including the Iran-US conflict and the Palestinian issue, he said. He also highlighted the economic dimension of relations, pointing to Saudi private sector investment in Egypt and recent growth in bilateral trade.

Egypt and Saudi Arabia share diplomatic ties stretching back decades, including the Treaty of Friendship signed in 1936, with relations since expanding across political, economic, security and strategic fields.