The Media Line: Egypt, Eritrea Sign Red Sea Shipping and Security Pact Amid Ethiopia Tensions   

Egypt, Eritrea Sign Red Sea Shipping and Security Pact Amid Ethiopia Tensions   

By The Media Line Staff  

Egypt and Eritrea signed a maritime transport agreement in Asmara on Sunday as the two countries moved to strengthen cooperation on Red Sea security, shipping and regional economic ties amid tensions with Ethiopia over access to Red Sea ports and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.  

The agreement was signed in the Eritrean capital in the presence of President Isaias Afwerki during a visit by Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Transport Minister Kamel al-Wazir.  

Under the deal, Egypt and Eritrea will establish a direct cargo shipping route connecting Egyptian and Eritrean ports on the Red Sea. The agreement is aimed at expanding trade and logistics cooperation between the two countries.  

The two governments also said Red Sea security should remain the responsibility of states bordering the waterway, while opposing the involvement of outside regional actors.  

Egyptian and Eritrean officials additionally held an Egyptian-Eritrean Business Forum focused on joint investments and commercial cooperation. Discussions included transport infrastructure, mining, pharmaceuticals and fisheries, along with sharing expertise related to port construction and development.  

The partnership comes as Egypt and Eritrea deepen coordination in the Horn of Africa while both countries face tensions with Ethiopia. The dispute includes Ethiopia’s efforts to secure access to Red Sea ports through neighboring Somaliland, as well as disagreements surrounding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.  

The two nations, which share a border distance of 1851 km, have increasingly coordinated economic and naval activities as part of broader regional cooperation efforts.  

Egypt has also expanded diplomatic and military ties elsewhere in the Horn of Africa. In late 2024, Cairo formalized a trilateral cooperation framework with Eritrea and Somalia focused on regional coordination and limiting Ethiopian influence in the region.