Egypt pressured by US to join “Abrahamic” economic pact
Egypt is being pressured by the United States to be a more active player in the “Abrahamic Regional Alliance” – an informal economic and security agreement in which Israel is a core member, according to The New Arab on July 18th.
Sources told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that Washington had sent direct messages to Cairo which declared that Egypt would only receive economic support on the condition that it engages with the alliance.
Economic support would ease the pressures of a crippled Egyptian economy, which is continuing to deteriorate due to steep inflation rates, a foreign currency shortage, and a decreasing amount of investments from the Gulf nations.
While Egypt receives loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the conditions go beyond the purely financial. For example, Cairo has been asked to cultivate a more business-driven economic environment.
Ivanna Vladkova Hollar, who led IMF discussions with Egypt, explained that “more decisive efforts are needed to level the playing field, reduce the state footprint in the economy, and increase private sector confidence to help Egypt attract foreign investment and develop its full economic potential,” Al Jazeera reported on December 25th 2024.
The IMF also requested that Egypt contributes to forming a “stable regional climate” – which in practice is understood to request participation with the Abrahamic Regional Alliance and establish Israel as a close partner.
Cairo has not yet joined the alliance in any capacity, nor has it taken part in any events. However, it has attended some conferences that were hosted by and involved Israel, such as the Negev Forum and the Sharm el-Sheikh Security Summit.
Egypt has also refused to participate in some joint military operations, including Israeli attacks on the Houthi rebels in Yemen. In some cases, Egypt has directly opposed unilateral Israeli actions, such as its direct assault on Iran.
Former Egyptian Ambassador Masoum Marzouk told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that Egypt joining the Abrahamic Regional Alliance would be meaningless, since the nation has had official ties with Israel for tens of years.
He continued that the hastiness with which Gulf states joined the alliance does not help to foster regional stability but rather rewards Israeli aggression and encourages its expansionist vision.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi appeared to rebuke the premise of joining the alliance at an event celebrating the overthrow of Egypt’s first ever democratically elected President, Mohamed Morsi. El-Sisi proclaimed “that peace is not born through bombing, imposed by force, or achieved through normalisation rejected by peoples.”
He said that instead, peace could only be achieved through “justice, fairness, and understanding.”
Former Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister Ambassador Mohamed Hegazy told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the US is attempting to bolster Israel’s regional power via the Abraham accords, which would allow Tel Aviv to extend its influence through a network of security and economic arrangements.
A new push to expand the Abraham Accords was initiated in June 2025 as Israel declared its desire to establish official diplomatic ties with Lebanon and Syria. However, such a possibility looks increasingly unlikely after Israel launched airstrikes on Syria’s Ministry of Defence on July 16th.
The New Arab, Maghrebi.org, Al Jazeera
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