Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh on Sunday to discuss regional stability. The meeting was held in Cairo in the presence of Badr Abdelatty, Egypt’s Foreign Minister, and Hassan Rashad, Head of the Egyptian General Intelligence Service.
According to the Presidential Spokesman, Minister Saleh conveyed greetings from Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, to which President El-Sisi reciprocated. El-Sisi affirmed the “deep-rooted relationship between the two countries and Egypt’s commitment to strengthening ties across all sectors.”
Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, the Egyptian Presidency spokesman, said discussions focused on the situation in the Horn of Africa, and strategies to enhance regional stability. These strategies included joint initiatives between Egypt and Eritrea, as well as the tripartite coordination mechanism with Somalia.
Both Egypt and Eritrea reiterated their commitment to supporting Somalia in combating terrorism and safeguarding its territorial integrity.
The meeting also addressed avenues for restoring peace and stability in Sudan, and means to protect the Red Sea. Emphasis was placed on bolstering the efforts of littoral states in governing and securing the Red Sea, while rejecting the involvement of non-littoral states in this domain.
Separately, Abdelatty, met with Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh on Saturday, March 22. According to a statement, this meeting served as a continuation of consultations aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between Egypt and Eritrea, and followed up on Minister Abdel-Aty’s recent visit to Eritrea on February 28.
During the meeting, the Foreign Minister “underscored the strong relationship between Egypt and Eritrea,” expressing a desire to continue consultations and coordination to “enhance bilateral cooperation frameworks and identify new opportunities for collaboration across political, economic, and trade sectors, reflecting the historical ties between the two nations.” He also highlighted the importance of ongoing meetings within the tripartite coordination mechanism involving Egypt, Eritrea, and Somalia, which held its first ministerial meeting in Cairo last January.
The meeting included an exchange of views on regional issues of mutual concern. Discussions included the situation on the African continent and ways to promote peace and security in the Horn of Africa, specifically, supporting Somalia in its fight against terrorism and asserting its sovereignty over its entire territory.
The ministers also addressed developments in Sudan, emphasizing the importance of providing comprehensive support to the Sudanese state and its national institutions, while preserving Sudan’s unity and territorial integrity. The meeting also covered the situation in the Sahel region, and developments in the Red Sea. Both ministers reiterated a rejection of participation by any non-Red Sea coastal state in the security and governance of the Red Sea.
