By Jana al-Masry | 2024-08-29

CAIRO -- The strong relationship between Egypt and the United States is key to calming tensions in the Middle East and restoring Red Sea navigation, which has been significantly disrupted by the Iran-backed Houthis, analysts say.

The July 17-18 visit by Gen. Michael "Erik" Kurilla, US Central Command (CENTCOM) commander, to Egypt, where he met with Egyptian army commanders, underscored the sturdiness of this relationship, military expert Yahya Mohammed Ali told Al-Fassel.

It demonstrated US support for Egypt and the desire of both nations to keep communication open and constant, he said.

It also demonstrated a commitment "to strengthen joint security and military cooperation against any danger that may threaten the region and ... to prevent the situation from becoming tenser than it is," he said.

Red Sea security topped the agenda, given the serious decline in Egypt's Suez Canal revenues, as global shipping companies reroute their vessels amid the Houthis' threats.

Egypt and the United States agree on the need to "establish peace and not drag the region into war," Ali said.

Red Sea security

Egypt has reclaimed its position as "the region's safety valve militarily and politically," Cairo-based Yemeni journalist Mona Mohammed told Al-Fassel.

"That's why the United States has maintained its strong relationship with Egypt and even seeks to strengthen it on all political and military levels," she said, as demonstrated by Kurilla's recent visit.

China also vows to strengthen global maritime security, Mohammed noted, most recently on the occasion of its much touted 20th Maritime Day on July 11.

But its actions -- or inaction -- towards Houthi aggression in the Red Sea speak louder than words. Mohammed said that despite its good relations with Egypt, Beijing has largely ignored the events in the Red Sea.

Maritime Day in China, which commemorates the first ocean voyage of explorer Zheng He during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), is celebrated through state functions that highlight the value of shipping to China's economy and to the advancement of its maritime interests globally.

China, a key Iran ally, sees amid the regional turmoil an opportunity to expand its presence in the Middle East and North Africa, Mohammed warned.

China is playing the same role as Iran "at the expense of the security of the peoples of the region, in contrast to US policy, which always seeks to calm the situation and establish peace, either directly or through allies," she said.

China's stated intention to develop maritime navigation and trade routes is deceptive, she said, "and ignores the crisis in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, which has harmed the global economy."