Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Asmara, the capital of Eritrea, on Monday for a working visit, according to Eritrea’s Minister of Information, Yemane Gebremeskel.
President Mohamud and his delegation were “accorded a warm welcome” by Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki upon their arrival at Asmara International Airport, Gebremeskel stated.
The two leaders are scheduled to discuss the “further enhancement of bilateral ties” as well as address “regional and international matters of mutual importance,” the Eritrean Minister of Information added.
This visit is the Somali President’s first official trip to Eritrea since the trilateral summit in October 2024 with Egypt and Eritrea, during which the three countries agreed to measures aimed at strengthening Somalia’s capacity “to protect its land and sea borders.” Observers have described this agreement as forming an “axis against Ethiopia.”
It is also the first after the Ankara declaration on Dec. 12, 2024, as Somali President, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed a joint declaration intended to resolve a yearlong dispute over Ethiopia’s controversial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the self-declared separatist administration in Hargeisa.
Leaders from Eritrea, Egypt, and Somalia met in the Eritrean capital for a Tripartite Summit focused on strengthening relations between the three countries and addressing regional security concerns. The summit resulted in a joint communiqué outlining key areas of cooperation and shared goals.
“The leaders of the three countries underscored the need to adhere to the fundamental principles and tenets of international law as the indispensable foundation for regulating relations between states and maintaining stability,” the communiqué stated. “This includes, most importantly, absolute respect for the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of countries in the region, opposing any interference in the internal affairs of these nations under any pretext or by any means, and supporting joint efforts to achieve regional peace, combat terrorism, and create a conducive environment for sustainable development.”
The communiqué highlighted the leaders’ commitment to upholding international law as the foundation for regional stability, emphasizing the importance of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations in the region. They also agreed to oppose any interference in the internal affairs of these countries.
