The presidents of Somalia, Eritrea, and Egypt have agreed to boost cooperation for regional security amid heightened tensions in the Horn of Africa.
The three-way summit, held in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, on Thursday, was called by Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki and included his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Somalia’s Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
In a statement released by the Eritrean information ministry, the three leaders agreed to bolster ties and improve regional stability, and the “unequivocal respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the countries of the region”.
The leaders also highlighted the importance of “confronting interference in the internal affairs of the countries of the region under any pretext or justification; coordinating joint efforts to achieve regional stability and creating a conducive climate for joint and sustainable development”.
Regarding the security situation in Somalia, whose army is currently fighting against the al-Shabab armed group, the leaders agreed to deepen cooperation to confront “terrorism in all its forms, protect its land and sea borders and maintain its territorial integrity”.
The security agreement could unsettle Ethiopia, which has thousands of troops in neighbouring Somalia fighting al Qaeda-linked groups, but has fallen out with Mogadishu over its plans to build a port in Somalia’s breakaway region Somaliland, which has not been internationally recognised as an independent state.
In response to Ethiopia’s plans, Somalia signed a major military deal with Egypt in August, while Cairo pledged troops for a new African Union mission against al-Shabab.
For years, Egypt and Ethiopia have been in dispute over Addis Ababa’s construction of a vast hydroelectric dam on the Nile River.
Eritrea has also had issues with Ethiopia despite Eritrean troops having backed the Ethiopian government forces against the 2020-2022 war against the Tigrayan forces.
Analysts have said Eritrea was irked by its exclusion from peace talks between Addis Ababa and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, which still has troops in parts of Tigray.
However, on Thursday, Ethiopian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nebiat Getachew described the relationship with Asmara as “peaceful,” adding that they enjoyed “good neighbourliness and good friendship.”
