We no longer want to go to payment. In short, this is Donald Trump’s message.
The argument of the US president? “These channels would not exist without the United States of America.”
On one, it is historically inaccurate with respect to the Suez Canal, built by France and Egypt, but above all it is difficult to see the report. The fact is that today these channels exist, which are managed by two sovereign states, and that all ships borrow are set for the note.
Risk of new friction
Panama does not see why US ships should be exempt. Its president recalls that toll duties are regulated by the Panama Canal Authority, an autonomous organization that manages the interoceanic water route. “There is no opposite agreement,” insists José Raúl Mulino.
Donald Trump’s team tries a connection with the country in Central America not without some tensions. In February, he said that Panama had agreed to not collect the crossing to US ships. Immediately, local authorities cried for “lie.”
More recently, the head of the Pentagon was contradico when he mentioned a possible return of US troops to “ensure” the navigable form. Given Trump’s insistence, reports could tend even more between the two countries.
A counterpart?
If the Panama Canal represents 5% of global maritime trade, Suez’s represents more than double. At least that was the case before the beginning of the Hutis attacks in the Red Sea and in the Gulf of Aden. In 2024, Egypt said a loss of 60% or $ 7 billion.
Was Donald Trump already in the idea of asking free of Egypt when he ordered mass attacks about Shiite rebels? We can ask ourselves. Maybe he sees it as a counterpart of the service provided.
But in Egypt, your application does not happen either. There is no official reaction but many comments. Elected officials close to power denounce an interrogation of national sovereignty when a local newspaper accuses the “intimidation” of the US administration.
Financial lever
Could the United States exert pressure on Egypt? In any case, they have a lever. Every year, they provide about $ 1.3 billion in military aid. A crucial sum for the Army that is used in particular to buy US companies armaments.
Remember that when the Trump administration froze international foreign aid, two countries have been exempt from Egypt. Therefore, the financial lever always exists.
For the Egyptian authorities to yield, could the US president also threaten not to hit the Houthi more? In this case, it would be losing it is an important means of pressure in your negotiations with Iran.
During his first mandate, Trump said Abdel Fattah al Sissi was his “favorite dictator.” But the Egyptian president cannot afford to seem weak in a difficult economic context.
The two countries are allied, but Egypt is increasingly developing their links with Moscow and Beijing. And allow US ships to transit freely through the Suez channel that could be jealous.
Source: BFM TV
