Written by: Omnia Hassan
Ambassador Mohamed Abu Bakr, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, inaugurated a training program entitled «Enhancing Maritime Security and Navigation Safety in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Suez.” Aden»It is organized by the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding in Ain Sokhna, in cooperation with the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development.
A training program bringing together 6 countries bordering the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden
The program is the first practical activation of the «StREAM» initiative, which was launched during the fifth edition of the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development.
The program includes 18 officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior, Defense, Justice and Transport, in addition to border guard and coast guard units from Egypt, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Sudan and Somalia, in a move that reflects a growing regional awareness of the importance of joint coordination to protect one of the most important maritime routes in the world.
First activation of the StREAM initiative stemming from the Aswan Forum
The Deputy Foreign Minister stressed that the rapid changes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden region necessitate the adoption of comprehensive approaches that go beyond the traditional concept of security, to include sustainable development, institution building, and addressing the root causes of conflicts.
He stressed that protecting maritime routes is a strategic necessity for maintaining regional stability and the movement of the international economy, while emphasizing that the governance of the Red Sea is an inherent and exclusive right of the coastal states.
Egypt affirms its commitment to purely regional governance of maritime routes.
He also called for activating the role of the Council of Arab and African States bordering the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden as the most important regional framework for enhancing cooperation and coordination among the countries of the region, in order to ensure effective collective management of security and logistical challenges.
For his part, Ambassador Saif Qandil, Director General of the Center, explained that the program comes in implementation of the recommendations of the Aswan Forum, and based on the Center’s increasing involvement in Red Sea security issues, through adopting an interconnected approach between peace, security and development.
The Suez Canal Authority showcases its readiness to ensure the sustainability of global navigation.
In the same context, Captain Ahmed Abdel Salam, representative of the Suez Canal Authority, reviewed the pivotal role that the Authority plays in ensuring the sustainability and efficiency of global navigation, stressing that the Canal continues to develop its technical and navigational capabilities and enhance safety standards, in order to maintain its position as a global navigation facility that serves regional and international trade efficiently and sustainably.
