Remarks by Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty emphasising the exclusive right of Red Sea littoral states to manage their affairs carry significant implications, particularly given their timing alongside renewed tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea amid fears of a military confrontation in the Horn of Africa.

Observers say the minister’s statements are primarily directed at Ethiopia, which has been preparing to advance its maritime ambitions following the completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, challenging Egypt’s strategic interests.

FM Abdelatty made the remarks during a high-level session at the fifth Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development on Sunday. According to the Egyptian foreign ministry, the session, titled “Connecting Continents and Building the Future through the Red Sea: Opportunities for Arab-African Economic Integration,” was attended by Somali Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali, Sudanese Foreign Minister Mohi el-Din Salem, Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Bin Abdulkarim al-Khereiji, EU Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Annette Weber and World Bank representative Gary Milante.

Speaking at the session, Abdelatty said, “Red Sea governance remains an original and exclusive matter for the states bordering it, as they are responsible for safeguarding its security, stability and resource sustainability, in a manner that reinforces the shared interests of their peoples and enshrines the principle of regional ownership in managing its affairs.”

He also announced the launch of the Suez and Red Sea Initiative for Economic and Maritime Development (StREAM), a plan to promote sustainable growth in the region. The initiative focuses on four key pillars: advancing the blue economy, upgrading infrastructure and ports, protecting the marine environment and deepening economic integration.

Abdelatty stressed that achieving stability and prosperity in the Red Sea region depends on strong political will, closer Arab-African cooperation, and effective international support. He reviewed Egypt’s recent efforts to address challenges in the Red Sea, including the drop in Suez Canal revenues, highlighting plans by the Suez Canal Authority to diversify income through expanded maritime services and transforming the canal into a regional logistics hub.

The minister also noted Egypt’s diplomatic efforts to promote political solutions in Yemen, stabilise the Horn of Africa, end the conflict in Sudan and restore security in Somalia. Discussions at the session covered regional security challenges arising from the situations in Sudan, the Horn of Africa and Yemen, and their effects on global navigation and trade. Participants agreed on the need for a comprehensive approach linking security and development to ensure long-term stability in the region.

Ethiopia, long landlocked since Eritrea’s independence in 1993, has openly pursued ambitions to reassert its presence on the Red Sea. Addis Ababa views current circumstances as favourable to achieving this goal, especially after completing and operating the Renaissance Dam, despite objections from downstream states Egypt and Sudan.

In a move Eritrea deemed suspicious and harbouring ill intent, Ethiopia, via its foreign minister, sent a message this month to the United Nations, the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and international partners, accusing Asmara of “undermining the Pretoria Agreement” by allegedly “occupying Ethiopian lands” and supplying “rebel forces with weapons,” describing the actions as a “direct threat” to national security and territorial integrity.

The Eritrean ministry of information responded officially, accusing the Ethiopian government of conducting “a misleading diplomatic campaign” intended to pave the way for a potential conflict. The ministry added that Addis Ababa has sought control of Eritrean ports for the past two years, “peacefully if possible, militarily if necessary.” It also claimed that Ethiopia has already procured weapons for this purpose, while Asmara has exercised “maximum restraint” despite repeated provocations “to annex sovereign Eritrean territory, including access points on the Red Sea.”

Ethiopia’s foreign ministry action coincided with a domestic media campaign highlighting the importance of a maritime outlet, citing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who described the issue as “vital” and comparable in significance to Ethiopia’s Nile claims. Abiy affirmed his government’s readiness to negotiate Red Sea access, stressing that discussions “should not be conditioned on non-use of the sea.”

He said Ethiopia “geographically falls within the Red Sea and Nile basin,” arguing that denying the country the right to access the sea is “unjust,” and that the Ethiopian people “forwent their legal right” due to a misconception that asserting it could spark conflict, a situation he said must be corrected after a long period of silence.

The Ethiopian broadcasting authority cited former Ethiopian naval officers stating that achieving access to a maritime outlet is “a matter of national existence, security and comprehensive development,” adding that the generation behind the Renaissance Dam should replicate its success on this issue.

Mirroring Ethiopia’s domestic campaign promoting the Renaissance dam, it is now seeking to build public support for its maritime ambitions.

This Ethiopian approach acts as a warning not only to Eritrea but also to Egypt, which firmly rejects any Ethiopian influence over the Red Sea. The Red Sea is a vital commercial corridor and one of the main gateways to the Suez Canal, critical to Egypt’s national revenue. Cairo views any shift in maritime or security dynamics there as altering regional power balances and affecting its ability to monitor and secure its maritime approaches.

Egypt treats the issue with heightened sensitivity, particularly vis-à-vis Ethiopia amid ongoing disputes over the Renaissance dam. Cairo sees Ethiopian access to the Red Sea not only as a commercial matter but one with military and strategic implications, as establishing bases or a direct Ethiopian military presence on the coast could threaten Egypt’s capabilities and alter regional power equations.

During his meeting with the EU envoy, the Egyptian foreign minister reiterated his country’s rejection of destabilising policies in the Horn of Africa and reaffirmed Egypt’s support for regional and international efforts to achieve stability and de-escalation in the region.