Regional Powers Convene in Egypt to Advocate Peaceful Resolutions Amid Ethiopian Conflict

CAIRO: Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia, and Sudan convened in the Egyptian coastal city of El-Alamein on Sunday, urging that regional disputes be resolved through peaceful means.

This meeting occurs amid growing concerns that escalating violence in Ethiopia could extend beyond its borders.

The summit brought together Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, Somalian President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan.

The leaders emphasized the need to respect state sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity while rejecting interference in internal affairs, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency.

They also highlighted the importance of international law regarding transboundary rivers, including the Nile, and rejected any unilateral measures that could harm downstream nations, as stated in the joint communiqué.

Relations between these four countries and landlocked Ethiopia have grown increasingly strained in recent years.

Egypt and Sudan continue to oppose Ethiopia’s large Nile dam, fearing it will jeopardize their water shares.

Additionally, Sudan’s army has accused Ethiopia of involvement in its conflict against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a claim Addis Ababa denies.

Diplomatic tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia have heightened since Ethiopia signed an agreement with Somaliland in 2024.

Tensions escalated further this month after Ethiopia alleged that Egypt, Sudan, and Eritrea were supporting Tigray rebels, which all three nations deny.

Ethiopia and Eritrea have severed diplomatic ties, while Cairo and Addis Ababa have expelled each other’s diplomatic personnel.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty stated on Sunday that Cairo has no involvement in Ethiopian affairs, characterizing the unrest as a domestic crisis stemming from ethnic and political divisions.

Renewed fighting in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region has reignited fears of a repeat of the 2020-2022 civil war.

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) launched attacks on federal forces last month. Ethiopian troops reportedly seized full control of Mekelle, the regional capital, on Sunday.

Source link