Leaders of Somalia, Egypt, Eritrea, and Sudan Call for Political Solution

The top officials of Somalia, Egypt, Eritrea, Egypt, and Sudan have issued a joint statement calling for the conflicts in the region to be resolved through dialogue and political solutions , as fighting intensifies in Sudan and Ethiopia.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and Sudanese Armed Forces Commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan met on Sunday in the city of New Alamein in Egypt, where they issued the joint statement.

The statement specifically supported resolving the conflict in Sudan through a political process led by the parties in Sudan, as the country has been at war since April 2023 between government forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The four countries also stated that the administration and security of the Red Sea should play a significant role for the coastal countries, coinciding with Ethiopia's efforts to secure a trade route and maritime presence, as Ethiopia is a landlocked country.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud previously stated that Somalia does not oppose Ethiopia obtaining a trade route using Somali ports, but it is a condition that this matter is agreed upon with Somalia.

The statement also addressed the dispute arising from the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam , with Egypt and Sudan warning against unilateral actions that they said could affect the countries along the Nile River.

The meeting of the four countries came at a time when heavy fighting is ongoing in Ethiopia, particularly in the Tigray region, where federal government forces and an armed alliance consisting of several groups are engaged in new battles.

On Sunday, Ethiopian government forces and their allies retook the city of Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray region, after the TPLF claimed it had temporarily withdrawn from the city and would continue its operations from another location.

Ethiopian officials have also accused Eritrea of supporting the armed alliance fighting against the federal government. Eritrea has denied these accusations, with the Eritrean information minister stating that Addis Ababa is trying to create a pretext for Eritrea to attack.

The leaders of the four countries, given the situation, emphasized the importance of dialogue, regional stability, and a political solution , as the conflicts in Sudan and Ethiopia could affect the overall security of the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea.