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World / Middle East

Saudi, Egypt draw up maritime borders

Published: 10 Apr 2016 - 12:00 am | Last Updated: 02 Nov 2021 - 02:55 am
Peninsula

A handout picture made available by al-Azhar media center on April 9, 2016 shows the Grand Imam of al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb (L) and The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia (C) visiting the mosque at al-Azhar headquarters, the most prestigious institution in Sunni Islam in the Egyptian capital Cairo. AFP PHOTO / HO /AL-AZHAR MEDIA CENTER

 

CAIRO: Saudi Arabia and Egypt have signed agreements to specify maritime borders, a cabinet statement said on Saturday, allowing both countries to benefit from maritime zones that were previously untapped.

The agreement was signed during  Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, visit to Egypt during which several investment projects were announced.

The technical drawing of the border include the Tiran and Sanafir islands as part of Saudi Arabia’s territory, the statement said.

In 1950, Saudi Arabia’s founder King Abdulaziz Al Saud had requested Egypt to protect those islands which has been the case since then.

Drawing up the maritime border for both countries had been in progress for over six years.

“This enables both countries to benefit from the exclusive economic zone for each, with whatever resources and treasures they contain,” the statement said.

(Reporting by Asma Alsharif; Editing by Alison Williams)

Reuters