“Commercial access for landlocked countries is acceptable, provided it is agreed with the countries concerned,” he added.

Abdelatty also said Egypt was communicating with Saudi Arabia to activate an initiative bringing together Red Sea coastal states.

“We are in contact with Saudi Arabia to activate the initiative bringing together the Red Sea littoral states,” he said.

Cairo and Riyadh have maintained maritime security consultations, including talks between their foreign ministers on 5 October.

The Council of Arab and African States Bordering the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, whose founding charter was signed in Riyadh in January 2020, provides an existing framework for regional cooperation.

The eight-country council comprises Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, and Yemen. It aims to strengthen political and security coordination, protect maritime navigation, and develop economic cooperation.

Separately, Abdelatty said Egypt was discussing new support programmes with the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

“We are discussing new support programmes with the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation,” he said.

The published remarks did not identify financing amounts, programme details, or approval dates.

Egypt has pursued expanded development cooperation with both institutions in energy, healthcare, food security, and digital transformation.

Discussions earlier this year also covered industrial financing programmes, including support for smaller businesses and technical assistance to factories.

The IFC, the World Bank Group’s private-sector arm, said in May that it had invested and mobilized more than $10 billion across nearly 300 projects in Egypt since 1976.