Egypt Summit: Ethiopia’s Neighbours Urge Peaceful Solutions to Regional Disputes

Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan have called for disputes in the region to be settled through peaceful means, as renewed fighting in Ethiopia fuels concern that the conflict could spread beyond its borders.

The four countries held a high-level meeting on Sunday in the Egyptian coastal city of El-Alamein, bringing together Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan.

Four Countries Back Dialogue

Following the talks, the Egyptian presidency said the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of states.

They also opposed interference in domestic affairs and stressed the importance of international law in managing transboundary rivers, particularly the Nile.

The leaders rejected unilateral steps that could potentially harm countries located downstream along shared waterways.

Ethiopia at the Centre of Regional Tensions

The meeting comes amid increasingly difficult relations between Ethiopia and each of the four participating countries.

Egypt and Sudan have been in a prolonged dispute with Addis Ababa over Ethiopia’s giant Nile dam. Cairo and Khartoum fear that the project could affect their access to the river’s waters.

Sudan’s military has separately accused Ethiopia of involvement in its conflict with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Addis Ababa has rejected the allegation.

Relations with Somalia have also deteriorated since Ethiopia signed a 2024 agreement with Somaliland, the breakaway region that Mogadishu considers part of Somalia.

Diplomatic Tensions Escalate

The situation has become more tense this month after Ethiopia accused Egypt, Sudan and Eritrea of supporting rebels in the Tigray region. All three countries have denied the charge.

Ethiopia and Eritrea have severed diplomatic relations, while Egypt and Ethiopia have expelled members of each other’s diplomatic missions.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, speaking to state-linked media on Sunday, strongly denied any Egyptian role in the unrest, saying Cairo had “absolutely nothing to do” with the developments.

He described the situation as an internal Ethiopian crisis driven by ethnic and political divisions.

Fresh Fighting in Tigray

The renewed violence has revived memories of Ethiopia’s 2020-2022 civil war, which devastated the northern Tigray region. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front launched attacks against federal forces last month, triggering a fresh escalation.

Ethiopian troops were reported on Sunday to have taken full control of Mekelle, the regional capital.

Against this backdrop, the El-Alamein meeting reflects growing concern among Ethiopia’s neighbours over the security implications of the renewed fighting and the possibility of the crisis spilling into the wider region.