Cairo is seeking to upgrade its relationship with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to “sectoral dialogue partner” status, as Egyptian diplomacy also focuses on escalating tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea and Yemen, as well as efforts to end the conflict in Sudan.
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty discussed the proposal with Singapore’s Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs Zaqy Mohamad, saying closer institutional ties with ASEAN could help expand cooperation with Southeast Asian countries.
The talks also covered efforts to attract more Singaporean investment and localise priority industries in Egypt, with Abdelatty highlighting the incentives offered by the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE).
The two sides reviewed progress in implementing agreements and memoranda of understanding reached during the Singaporean president’s visit to Egypt in September 2025, as the two countries prepare to mark 60 years of diplomatic relations next year.
On Gaza, Abdelatty called for moving to the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the enclave, and full and sustained humanitarian access.
He also called for early recovery and reconstruction efforts and for the national committee administering Gaza to be empowered ahead of the Palestinian Authority resuming its responsibilities in Gaza and the West Bank.
In a separate phone call with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abdelatty discussed developments in the Strait of Hormuz and Yemen and their implications for security in the Red Sea and Bab Al-Mandab.
The ministers called for international law and freedom of navigation to be upheld and for diplomatic efforts to be intensified to contain tensions and prevent the conflict from spreading, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said.
Abdelatty also met with Pekka Haavisto, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Sudan, to discuss efforts to de-escalate and end the conflict in Sudan.
Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s support for Sudan’s unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity and national institutions, stressing that any political settlement should respect Sudanese ownership of the process while ensuring that humanitarian aid reaches civilians.
Haavisto said the United Nations remained committed to continuing coordination with Egypt in efforts to end the conflict, according to the ministry.
