CAIRO

Egypt and Eritrea said on Sunday that safeguarding the Red Sea should remain the exclusive responsibility of the countries bordering it, rejecting attempts by non-littoral states to impose security arrangements or military roles in one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.

The position was announced after talks in Cairo between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Eritrean counterpart Osman Saleh, as the two countries stepped up coordination on Red Sea security, regional stability and economic cooperation.

The ministers reaffirmed their rejection of any efforts by external parties to impose security arrangements or secure maritime access in the Red Sea in violation of international law, according to Egypt’s foreign ministry.

Their meeting comes as geopolitical competition intensifies in the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa, where regional conflicts, attacks on shipping and growing foreign military deployments have heightened concerns over maritime security.

Egypt views the Red Sea as an integral part of its national security because of its connection to the Suez Canal, a vital artery for global trade, while Eritrea occupies a strategic position with one of the region’s longest Red Sea coastlines and ports overlooking major international shipping lanes.

The two ministers agreed that any future security framework for the Red Sea should be based on consensus among the littoral states rather than arrangements imposed by outside powers.

They also exchanged views on developments in the Horn of Africa, including conflicts in Sudan and Somalia.

Abdelatty said stability in the Horn of Africa was a direct extension of Egypt’s national security and reiterated Cairo’s support for preserving the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of regional states while rejecting unilateral measures that could undermine regional stability.

He also reaffirmed Egypt’s support for Eritrea’s sovereignty and welcomed the growing pace of bilateral engagement following recent high-level exchanges between the two countries.

Beyond security, the ministers discussed expanding economic cooperation, with Egypt seeking to increase bilateral trade, encourage joint investments and broaden the participation of Egyptian companies in the Eritrean market.

Priority sectors include maritime transport, port development, infrastructure, mining, fisheries, pharmaceuticals and housing.

Abdelatty also called for expanding technical cooperation through Egyptian training and capacity-building programmes designed to support Eritrea’s development priorities.

The meeting follows a series of high-level visits between Cairo and Asmara, including the activation of a maritime transport cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening commercial links across the Red Sea.

The talks reflect growing efforts by both countries to strengthen coordination as instability in Sudan, tensions in the Horn of Africa and threats to international shipping continue to reshape the region’s security landscape.