Egypt Daily News – Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Ati warned on Sunday of the continued militarization of the Red Sea and its repercussions on global trade and the Egyptian economy.
Abdel Ati said in a press conference during his visit to Kuwait that he spoke with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya about the catastrophic repercussions in the Red Sea and the current escalation.
He added that further militarization in the Red Sea constitutes severe harm to global trade and the Egyptian economy, adding that Egypt is the most affected by the current conflict in the region.
He also pointed out that the current escalation in the Red Sea is affecting international shipping traffic, noting the significant decline in Suez Canal revenues as a result of this “unacceptable” escalation.
Abdel Ati said: “If there is seriousness to prevent escalation, the roots of the problem must be addressed, which is of course the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip and also against Lebanon, so that we do not give an excuse to any party.”
He stressed that “stability is very important, and stability will not be achieved unless we address the roots of the problem and stop this brutal aggression.”
During their meeting, the two ministers reviewed the latest developments in the situation in the Middle East region, most notably the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, where they agreed on the necessity of reaching an immediate and permanent ceasefire, and working to reduce the escalation in order to avoid sliding into a regional war. The two sides exchanged views regarding a number of regional and international issues of common interest.
