President Hassan Sheikh to participate in a four-way summit today in Egypt

The President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, is today participating in a consultative summit in the city of New Alamein, Egypt, where the leaders of Egypt, Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan are gathering.

The summit is attended by the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, the President of Eritrea, Isaias Afwerki, the President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and the Chairman of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan. According to the Egyptian Presidency, the meeting focuses on consultation and coordination of positions regarding regional issues of mutual interest to the countries.

The meeting comes at a time when political and security tensions in the Horn of Africa are escalating. The relationship between Ethiopia and Eritrea has significantly deteriorated, with Addis Ababa recently severing diplomatic ties with Asmara, while Egypt and Ethiopia have also exchanged diplomatic measures. The tensions arise as conflicts have re-emerged in northern Ethiopia.

Somalia is participating in the summit while strengthening its political relations and strategic cooperation with Egypt.

President Hassan Sheikh and President Al-Sisi held a private meeting in New Alamein on Saturday, during which the Egyptian side reaffirmed its support for the independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Somalia. Both sides also discussed enhancing the relationship and cooperation between the two countries.

Somalia's participation in this conference also comes as Ethiopia still plays a role in the security of Somalia, particularly in the efforts against Al-Shabaab, while Mogadishu is further strengthening its relations with regional countries and other international partners.

The New Alamein conference is taking place as Egypt hosts high-level African meetings, and today the 8th meeting of the African Union Coordination is also being held in the city.

The quadrilateral meeting is expected to provide an opportunity for the leaders of Egypt, Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan to discuss the security and political situation in the Horn of Africa and other regional issues of mutual interest.