Date: Saturday, 01 March 2025
Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty and Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki reiterated their rejection of any involvement by non-littoral Red Sea nations in the area's security and governance.
According to a statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry on Saturday, Abdelatty and Afwerki made these remarks following a discussion between the two sides on the latest developments in the region.
The statement read that Abdelatty visited Eritrea on Friday to discuss ways to activate the tripartite coordination mechanism between Egypt, Eritrea, and Somalia.
Formed after a summit that brought together the leaders of Egypt, Eritrea, and Somalia in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, on 10 October 2024, the tripartite ministerial committee held its first meeting in Cairo in January.
Following that meeting, Abdelatty emphasised in a joint press conference with Eritrean and Somali counterparts that no military or naval presence of any non-littoral state in the Red Sea would be accepted.
Egypt and Eritrea have repeatedly rejected all foreign interference in Somalian affairs and declared their support for the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In recent months, tensions have increased in the Horn of Africa after Somaliland, a breakaway entity from Somalia not recognised by any country, agreed to lease 20 kilometres of its coast for 50 years to landlocked Ethiopia to build a naval base in return for diplomatic recognition.
In January, Turkey mediated a peace deal between Somalia and Ethiopia that included restoring full diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Following the rapprochement, Ethiopia's deal with Somaliland remains uncertain.
During Friday's meeting, Abdelatty and Afwerki discussed preparations for the tripartite ministerial committee's second meeting, which will be held in the Eritrean capital.
They also exchanged views on regional issues of mutual interest and ways to support peace and security in the Horn of Africa.
In addition, the two sides discussed supporting Somalia in combating terrorism, the latest developments in Sudan, and the situation in Libya and the Sahel region of Africa.
They also discussed Red Sea security and governance.
Moreover, Abdelatty discussed strengthening relations between Egypt and Eritrea, delivering a verbal message from President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to the Eritrean president.
Afwerki, for his part, said his country looks forward to promoting ties with Egypt in ways that meet both countries' aspirations and reflect their historical ties.
