Ethiopia’s Regional Rivals Call for Peaceful Resolution of Disputes at Egypt Summit

Ethiopia’s regional rivals Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan have urged peaceful solutions to regional disputes, as renewed fighting in Ethiopia raises concerns of a wider spillover across its borders.

The leaders met on Sunday in the Egyptian coastal city of El-Alamein for a mini-summit focused on regional security, sovereignty and cross-border disputes.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi hosted Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan.

Call for Sovereignty and Non-Interference

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the four countries called for “respecting the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of states” and rejected interference in countries’ internal affairs.

The leaders also stressed the need to follow international law governing transboundary rivers, including the Nile, while opposing unilateral actions that could affect downstream nations.

The statement comes against the backdrop of increasingly strained relations between Ethiopia and all four countries.

Nile Dam Remains Major Flashpoint

Egypt and Sudan have been locked in a long-running dispute with Ethiopia over its massive dam project on the Nile.

Cairo and Khartoum have expressed concerns that the project could affect the flow and availability of Nile waters on which their populations depend, while Ethiopia maintains that the dam is crucial to its development and power generation.

Sudan’s military has also accused Addis Ababa of supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in Sudan’s ongoing conflict. Ethiopia has denied the allegation.

Somalia-Ethiopia Tensions

Relations between Ethiopia and Somalia have also remained tense since Addis Ababa signed an agreement with Somaliland, the breakaway Somali region, in 2024.

The deal triggered strong opposition from Mogadishu, which regards Somaliland as part of its sovereign territory.

Tensions have intensified further this month after Ethiopia accused Egypt, Sudan and Eritrea of supporting Tigray rebels. All three countries have rejected the accusation.

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

Cairo Rejects Role in Ethiopian Crisis

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said on Sunday that Cairo had “absolutely nothing to do” with the latest developments in Ethiopia.

Speaking to state-linked media, Abdelatty described the unrest as a domestic crisis driven by ethnic and political divisions.

His comments came as renewed violence in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region raised fears that the country could again descend into a conflict resembling the 2020-2022 civil war.

Fighting Returns to Tigray

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) launched attacks against federal forces last month, reigniting concerns over the stability of Ethiopia’s northern region.

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

With tensions already running high between Ethiopia and its neighbours, the El-Alamein summit underscored the growing regional concern over developments inside Ethiopia and the potential consequences beyond its borders.