Bridging Waters Guest Paper Series | Egypt and the EU: Acting on the Shared Interest in Stabilising the Red Sea

For a new paper series, six guest authors explore key aspects of maritime security cooperation between Europe and rising middle powers. Each author presents the perspective of a different littoral state, specifically Egypt and Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea region, and Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam in the South China Sea. The series builds on insights from the report ‘Bridging Waters: Strengthening Europe’s Maritime Security Engagement Through Partnerships with Rising Middle Powers’ and the webinar Bridging Waters: Middle Powers’ Cooperation on Maritime Security, held on 18 November, which brought together maritime experts from both regions to discuss avenues for further collaboration. The discussion highlighted the need for strengthened partnerships to address growing instability and to safeguard maritime routes that are vital for international trade.

Instability in the Red Sea has become a major strategic concern for both Egypt and Europe. Houthi attacks, piracy, and regional conflicts have disrupted global shipping, driven up insurance costs, and forced vessels to reroute via the Cape of Good Hope. For Egypt, the impact is acute: Suez Canal revenues have fallen sharply, tourism has been affected, and wider economic vulnerabilities have been intensified. At the same time, escalating geopolitical rivalries and militarisation around the Red Sea’s chokepoints heighten the risk of miscalculation and further crises.

This HCSS guest paper by Yara Ahmed and Saskia van Genugten argues that Cairo and Brussels share a strong interest in preventing future disruptions and outlines practical opportunities for cooperation. These include strengthening the resilience and diversification of the Suez Canal, enhancing maritime situational awareness through CRIMARIO, improving coordination between naval missions, and boosting protection of undersea cables vital to Europe–Asia data flows. The paper also emphasises joint diplomatic efforts to help de-escalate conflicts in Yemen, Sudan, and the Horn of Africa. By supporting Egypt’s gatekeeper role while respecting its sovereignty sensitivities, the EU can help reinforce the stability of a corridor essential to both regional and European security.

Author: Yara Ahmed, Senior Associate, MacroScope Strategies and Saskia van Genugten, Senior Director at MacroScope Strategies

Editors: Pieter-Jan Vandoren and Benedetta Girardi

Quality Assurance: Paul Sinning

The research for and production of this report has been conducted within the PROGRESS research framework agreement. Responsibility for the contents and for the opinions expressed, rests solely with the authors and does not constitute, nor should be construed as, an endorsement by the Netherlands Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence.