Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman in Cairo to discuss Gaza, Lebanon, Red Sea - analysis

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met to discuss regional issues in Cairo this week, an important meeting that illustrates how Saudi Arabia is seeking to reach out to Egypt to coordinate policy. Riyadh and Cairo have been key partners in regional affairs for years; Saudi Arabia has backed the Egyptian government on numerous issues.

According to a report at Reuters, “Egypt’s presidency said the leaders signed an agreement to encourage and protect mutual investments between the countries and witnessed the signing of an accord to form a supreme coordination council between Riyadh and Cairo to deepen cooperation.”

Arab News noted that the discussions would push for strengthening relations between the countries and addressing issues of “concern,” namely about regional developments, including the war in Gaza and Lebanon and the Houthi escalation in the Red Sea.

Historically, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, both friends of the United States, were two regional pillars, but since October 2023, regional events have overtaken both countries, meaning they were unable to prevent the Hamas attack nor reduce tensions; this reflects badly on their ability to drive policy.

Historical pillars of stability

These discussions reflect the fact that the two are now worried that they are losing out as Iran, Turkey, and Qatar drive the region off a cliff, with Iran backing Hamas and Hezbollah and Doha hosting Hamas and Ankara backing it. Russia isn’t as open, but it appears to back Hamas and may even be open to backing Hezbollah. 

Saudi Arabia and Egypt have wanted stability in the region. In the 1980s, Saudi Arabia played a crucial role in the US’s support for the Mujahideen in Afghanistan. Later, following Saddam’s invasion of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia backed the US plan to expel the Iraqis. However, there was blowback, and Saudi Arabia found itself in a maelstrom after the rise of Al Qaeda.

In the 2000s, it was able to reduce extremism and get rid of the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood, which briefly plagued Egypt in 2012 before the rise of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The rise of MBS after 2015 played a significant role in shaping the current Saudi position, but it also sparked anger in Qatar, which in turn mobilized influencers in the West to oppose Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia has historically been at the forefront of offering Israel a grand bargain of peace for a two-state solution. This, along with attempts at normalization, were derailed by the events of October 7. Therefore, while MBS was in Cairo to discuss regional issues, the regional roles of Cairo and Riyadh undoubtedly loomed large over both him and al-Sisi in their discussions.

Arab News noted that the countries did sign an agreement towards the formation of the Saudi-Egyptian Supreme Coordination Council.

“Gaza, Lebanon, and the security of the Red Sea region” topped the discussions in Cairo, according to Al-Ain. The talks “addressed regional developments, most notably the situations in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, where they agreed on the seriousness of the regional situation and the necessity of stopping the escalation. They stressed 

that establishing a sovereign Palestinian state by internationally legitimate resolutions is the only way to achieve calm, peace, and security in the region in a sustainable manner.”

They also critiqued Israel’s policies, calling for a ceasefire and calm in the hopes of stopping “the widening circle of conflict.” Saudi Arabia was key to the Taif Agreement that ended the civil war in Lebanon in 1989; it also feels that it has a special role in Beirut.

However, Hezbollah’s policies have weakened and eroded the Saudi role. Saudi Arabia and Egypt said they wanted to spotlight the necessity of respecting Lebanon’s sovereignty, security, stability, and territorial integrity. They also discussed the “Red Sea region” and the situations in Sudan, Libya, and Syria, according to the report.

Al-Sisi stressed the “depth and centrality of the strategic relations between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, especially in light of the threats facing the region,” noting “the importance of continuing coordination and cooperation to overcome the current critical stage that our region and Islamic world are going through,” Al-Ain reported.