ع
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Cairo International Airport on Tuesday before the pair held a closed-door meeting that expanded to include senior officials from both sides. The Egyptian presidency stated that Sisi affirmed Saudi and Gulf security as part of Egypt’s national security while expressing full condemnation of any attacks on the kingdom and support for Riyadh’s defensive measures. The leaders further agreed on the need to secure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb strait and Red Sea amid ongoing regional tensions.
The Egyptian presidency reported that the two countries share identical interests and maintain absolute understanding on common goals, calling for stepped-up coordination given current regional conditions. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman expressed appreciation for the warm reception and underscored the solid fraternal ties binding the two nations. Such declarations build upon longstanding strategic partnership that has weathered multiple regional crises since the early 2010s.
Discussions addressed stability in Sudan and Palestine where the leaders confirmed matching positions on the need for a just settlement based on the two-state solution and international resolutions. The presidency added that both sides renewed support for a comprehensive political resolution to the Yemen crisis while emphasizing joint Arab efforts to tackle shared challenges. Egypt also reiterated its rejection of any threats to Saudi sovereignty or maritime routes.
The two sides directed officials to intensify practical steps that expand bilateral trade and investment by removing procedural barriers that have limited fuller economic integration. Saudi Arabia ranks among Egypt’s leading investors with projects spanning energy, infrastructure and tourism that have created thousands of jobs in recent years according to official trade data. The talks reflect a broader push to elevate non-oil commerce which both governments have targeted for sustained growth.
This latest affirmation echoes similar commitments made during the crown prince’s 2018 visit to Egypt when Sisi first declared Gulf security an inseparable element of Egyptian national security. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry has issued parallel statements throughout 2026 stressing that Gulf stability directly serves Arab national security. Heightened maritime threats in the Red Sea have lent fresh urgency to such coordinated positions.
A statement distributed by the Egyptian presidency noted that the current circumstances require deeper solidarity and that relations between Cairo and Riyadh set the standard for intra-Arab ties. Follow-up committees will now translate the leaders’ directives into concrete cooperation programs across security, economic and diplomatic tracks. The visit concluded with both parties pledging continued alignment on all files affecting regional peace and prosperity.
