Egypt’s president said on Monday Cairo was deeply concerned about security in the Red Sea following an attack by Yemen’s Houthis on two oil tankers that forced Saudi Arabia to suspend crude shipments temporarily through the strait of Bab al-Mandab.



Speaking at a joint press conference with his Yemeni counterpart, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi also said Cairo was committed to helping Yemen regain its security after more than three years of war.



“We categorically reject that Yemen would become a foothold for the influence of non-Arab forces, or a platform for security and stability threats against the brotherly Arab countries or freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait,” Sisi said, speaking alongside President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi.



Last month, Saudi Arabia temporarily halted oil shipments through Bab al-Mandab citing security concerns after Iran-aligned Yemen’s Houthis attacked two oil tankers in the Red Sea near the strait with missiles, damaging one vessel.



Although Saudi Arabia resumed oil shipments through the strait several days later, the incident has highlighted the volatility of the situation in the area, and the Houthi danger looming over the country.



Yemen lies along the southern end of the Red Sea, one of the most important trade routes in the world for oil tankers. The tankers pass near Yemen’s shores while heading from the Middle East through the Suez Canal to Europe.



Speaking after talks with Hadi in Cairo, Sisi said Egypt supported the internationally-recognized Yemeni government and was committed to helping it restore stability to the country.

Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and Abdelfattah el-Sisi. (AP)a

Egypt, the most populous country in the Arab world, is a member of the Saudi-led coalition, which intervened in Yemen’s civil war in 2015 to try to restore Hadi to power against Iranian support for the Houthis.



But its role has been mainly to patrol Bab al-Mandab with naval vessels.



Hadi said he had briefed Sisi on what he called Iranian support for the Houthis in endangering security in the Red Sea.



“We discussed the dangers that the Red Sea had been exposed to because of the terrorism of the Houthi militias and its supporter, Iran, which aims not only to impact Red Sea security but Arab national security as a whole,” Hadi said.



Iran continues to deny providing military support to the Houthis.

Further discussions during the visit

Hadi had arrived in Cairo earlier on Monday, and met with Sisi to discuss the importance of further developing relations between both countries.

Both leaders discussed ways to develop all aspects of relations within the framework of rehabilitating Yemen’s armed forces, security, education, health, the judiciary and the central bank, stressing on the importance of coordination between both countries in all fields.

Hadi and Sisi also spoke about the importance of revising visas and security approvals for Yemenis, as well as the possibility of opening Egyptian airlines’ flights to Aden and the city of Sayun in the Hadhramaut province.

Both leaders also discussed Yemen’s needs in terms of Egyptian medical staff and scientific expertise, as well as giving Egyptian hospitals priority in the field of medical tourism, and treatment of those wounded in the war. They also discussed facilitating the accessibility of Egyptian medical equipment and medicine companies in the Yemeni market.

A memorandum of understanding was also signed between the Yemeni and Egyptian central banks.

- With Reuters

Last Update: Wednesday, 20 May 2020 KSA 09:53 - GMT 06:53