Badr Abdel Atty, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, declared that the governance of the Red Sea is an affair exclusively concerning the riparian states (countries bordering the Red Sea) and that no non-littoral state has the right to intervene in or participate in its governance mechanisms.
In a special statement to Al Arabiya, Abdel Atty stressed that no landlocked country has a role in the Red Sea’s governance. He explicitly stated: “I am referring to the landlocked countries in Africa, specifically Ethiopia.”
The Foreign Minister emphasized that it is unacceptable for Ethiopia to participate in any Red Sea governance framework. He noted that Egypt is currently holding discussions with Saudi Arabia regarding the future of the Red Sea’s governance.
Abdel Atty concluded by asserting that Egypt and Saudi Arabia are the two principal riparian states and therefore bear the primary responsibility for managing this vital maritime corridor and ensuring its security and stability.
Ethiopia’s bid for sea access
In late 2023, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed publicly asserted Ethiopia’s need for direct access to the sea, stating it was a matter of national survival.
This was followed by a controversial memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in early 2024 between Ethiopia and the self-declared region of Somaliland (a part of Somalia), which included granting Ethiopia a naval base in exchange for potential recognition.
