Cairo (South24) 

Egypt announced an estimated loss of $6 billion as a result of the Houthi attacks on commercial ships passing through Bab Al-Mandab and the southern Red Sea which negatively affected revenues of the Suez Canal.

This came during a meeting yesterday, Friday (November 1), between Badr Abdelatty, the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). 

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Facebook that Dominguez is on a visit to Cairo, the first of its kind for the UN official since assuming his position. The Egyptian Foreign Minister stressed on "strengthening the framework of joint cooperation with the organization due to the advanced importance of shipping and maritime transport for Egypt."

"Especially in light of the importance of the Suez Canal as one of the most prominent global waterways, as well as Egypt's coastlines extending along the Red and Mediterranean Seas," the statement added.

Minister Abdelatty pointed out that Egypt will continue to play a leading role within the IMO, based on its membership in the Executive Council and its great interest in the field of maritime transport.

The Egyptian official also expressed his country’s aspiration to open the IMO’s regional office for Arab countries in the Middle East and North Africa region in Alexandria in the coming months, the statement said.

On Thursday (October 31), the leader of the Iranian-backed Houthi militia said they had attacked 202 ships linked to Israel, the United States and Britain since November 2023.