Ashrsf AboArafe
Today, Dr. Badr Abdel Aati, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs, received Mr. “Vassilis Gurbaris”, Commander of the European Naval Operation in the Red Sea “Aspedes”, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration and Director of the Public Diplomacy Department, stated that Dr. Badr Abdel Aati, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, expressed during the meeting his satisfaction with the existing cooperation with the leadership of the “Aspedes” operation and Egypt’s support for its missions due to the defensive nature of its mandate, within the framework of the increasing challenges facing navigation in the Red Sea. The Foreign Minister stressed the importance of concerted efforts to create a safe environment for ships to pass through the Red Sea and reassure international shipping companies, pointing to the direct impact of security threats to navigation in the Red Sea on the Egyptian economy due to the huge decline in Suez Canal revenues, which makes Egypt one of the countries most affected by the current situation in the world.
The official spokesman added that Minister Abdel Aati reviewed during the meeting Egypt’s concerns regarding the current escalation in the region in light of recent tensions, and its impact on maritime shipping in the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, explaining that it is necessary to work to address the real causes of the unprecedented escalation, which are the continuation of the Israeli war in Gaza, the policy of assassinations, and the violation of the sovereignty of the countries of the region.
For his part, the commander of the European naval operation expressed his appreciation for Egypt’s support for the European naval operation, and his keenness to communicate with the countries of the region affected by the tension in the Red Sea, most notably Egypt, and highlighted the defensive nature of the naval operation in the face of threats, reviewing the successes achieved by the European operation in repelling several Houthi attacks.
The official spokesman added that the European official stressed the importance of concerted efforts to secure navigation in the Red Sea, and the European operation’s keenness to create an environment that contributes to the safe passage of ships in the Red Sea, while appreciating the Egyptian contacts and efforts to contain the current state of tension and escalation.
Ambassador Abu Zeid concluded the statement by pointing out that the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the European official agreed at the end of the meeting on the importance of continuing consultation and coordination in light of the common interest in calming the situation in the region and the safety of navigation in the Red Sea.
