“Egypt’s Security Challenges in the Red Sea and Africa” with Mohamed Farid

Description

In this week’s Middle East Forum podcast, Lauri Regan speaks with Mohamed M. Farid, an Egyptian member of parliament and regional policy expert, about Egypt’s security outlook across the Red Sea, the Horn of Africa, and Sudan.

Farid explains why Cairo views Houthi attacks on global shipping as the predictable result of years of incoherent policy toward Yemen and Iran, arguing that airstrikes and naval deployments alone cannot restore freedom of navigation or confidence in the Red Sea corridor. He outlines Egypt’s economic and security exposure, including Suez Canal losses, tourism risk, and regional spillover.

The conversation then turns to Somalia, Ethiopia, and Eritrea, where Farid warns that fragmented states and militia politics fuel instability, and to Sudan, which he describes as Egypt’s most urgent security challenge. He details the refugee burden, cross-border crime, and the dangers of legitimizing militia rule.

A candid discussion of why Egypt prioritizes institutional stability over escalation, and why militias thrive wherever states collapse.