Egypt affirms support for Eritrea’s sovereignty, territorial integrity amid tension with Ethiopia over sea access

ISTANBUL

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi reaffirmed his country’s support for Eritrea’s sovereignty and territorial integrity during talks in Cairo on Thursday with his Eritrean counterpart, Isaias Afwerki.

“Egypt takes pride in its deep-rooted strategic relations with Eritrea,” Sisi said during the meeting, as cited by a presidency statement.

He underscored his keenness “to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields, particularly in the economic and investment sectors.”

The two leaders exchanged views on regional developments, with Sisi emphasizing Egypt’s unwavering support for “Eritrea’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the statement said.

Afwerki, for his part, expressed his “deep appreciation for Egypt’s role in consolidating stability and advancing development efforts in the Horn of Africa and East Africa region.”

The Eritrean president’s visit to Egypt comes amid tension with Ethiopia over access to the sea.

On Tuesday, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called for international mediation with Eritrea over access to the sea.

Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1991, leaving the country landlocked.

Egypt already has strained ties with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile, a tributary of the Nile River.

The meeting between Sisi and Afwerki also addressed the ongoing war in Sudan. Both leaders said their views were identical about ways of ending the conflict there and stressed the “the necessity of supporting national state institutions, foremost the Sudanese Armed Forces, and rejecting any attempts to establish parallel entities.”

Sis highlighted Egypt’s “efforts within the Quartet Mechanism, which seeks to end the war and alleviate the humanitarian suffering of the Sudanese people,” reiterating Cairo’s commitment to “Sudan’s unity, territorial integrity, and national sovereignty.”

Since April 15, 2023, the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF_ have been locked in a war that numerous regional and international mediations have failed to end. The conflict has killed about 20,000 people and displaced over 15 million as refugees and internally displaced persons, according to UN and local reports.

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