Somali, Egyptian, Eritrean talks in Cairo
Egypt is hosting tripartite talks with Somalia and Eritrea on Saturday as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen regional alliances and enhance security cooperation in the Horn of Africa, Egyptian media reported.Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr. Badr Abdel Aati will chair the meeting with his Somali and Eritrean counterparts Ahmed Maalim Faqi and Osman Saleh Mohamed. The trilateral discussions aim to follow up on the agreements reached during the Asmara Summit in October 2024, which emphasized enhancing regional stability, protecting maritime routes in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and enhancing economic cooperation.
The meeting will focus on implementing agreements from the October summit, where the leaders of Egypt, Somalia and Eritrea committed to boosting cooperation following a controversial ports agreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland. The deal granted Ethiopia access to the port of Berbera and was condemned by the tripartite alliance as a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty. Eritrea and Egypt, wary of Ethiopia’s broader ambitions, have aligned themselves with Mogadishu in opposing the deal.
Turkey’s Ankara Declaration of December 2024 sought to mediate these tensions, affirming Somalia’s territorial integrity while granting Ethiopia conditional access to Somali ports. However, the unresolved disputes underscore the complexity of navigating the region’s geopolitical landscape.
Egyptian officials said the meeting will focus on maritime safety and counter-terrorism. Particular emphasis will be placed on securing vital trade routes in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, combating piracy and tackling illicit trafficking.
Somali Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur is also in Cairo for separate talks with his Egyptian counterpart. These discussions will focus on Egypt’s participation in the African Union Stabilization Mission in Somalia and the possible deployment of Egyptian troops to support peacebuilding efforts in Somalia.
0 Comments