Egypt’s FM addresses Yemeni crisis with Kuwaiti, Omani counterparts

CAIRO – 4 January 2025: Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Dr. Badr Abdelatty held separate telephone calls with his Kuwaiti and Omani counterparts as part of ongoing consultations aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and coordinating positions on regional issues, especially the ongoing developments in southern Yemen.

The discussions focused on enhancing economic, trade, and investment cooperation, as well as addressing developments in Gaza, where Egypt emphasized the need to advance the next phase of the aid plan, ensure full humanitarian access, sustain the ceasefire, and support early recovery and reconstruction, while rejecting any measures that undermine Palestinian territorial unity.

The calls also addressed regional developments, particularly Yemen, with an emphasis on de-escalation, avoiding unilateral actions, and supporting a comprehensive Yemeni-Yemeni dialogue to achieve security and stability. In his conversation with the Omani Foreign Minister, Abdelatty additionally discussed the Iranian nuclear file, stressing the importance of de-escalation, confidence-building, and resuming diplomatic efforts to reach a comprehensive agreement that supports regional stability.

Southern Yemen is wtinessing an inter-Yemeni conflict between the UAE-backed the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and the Saudi-backed forces of the internationally-recognized government in Aden. Recently the UAE-allied forces gained control over strategic areas such as Aden, coastal ports, and the island of Socotra, the matter that Saudi Arabia sees as a threat to its national interests on the Gulf of Aden. 

Then, the Saudi-led coalition launched what it described as a limited airstrike targeting “large quantities of weapons” and “combat vehicles” that it said were destined for the STC.  As a result, the UAE announced it withdrew its forces from Yemen to de-escalate and contain the situation.

Today, Saudi-backed forces “The Homeland Shield Forces” retook the port city of Mukalla in Hadramout province on Sunday from the southern separatists of the STC. 

Egypt has expressed concern over the risks of potential escalation in Yemen and its implications for the country’s security and stability, as well as the broader consequences for regional security.