With fighting intensifying in Ethiopia and diplomatic ties fraying across the Horn of Africa, Egypt will bring together the leaders of Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia on Sunday for talks in the northern coastal city of El-Alamein.
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi will join the three leaders at the four-way El-Alamein Consultative Summit for “consultations and coordination on regional issues of mutual interest,” Egypt’s presidency said Saturday.
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Sudan is expected to be represented at Sunday’s summit by army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, according to reports.
The gathering comes as the region faces one of its most volatile periods in years. Fighting between Ethiopian federal forces and a Tigrayan-led opposition alliance has intensified since Sept. 23, marking the most serious escalation since Ethiopia’s 2020-2022 civil war ended.
Addis Ababa has accused Eritrea, Egypt and Sudan of backing the Tigrayan-led alliance. All three countries have denied the allegations. Ethiopia closed its embassy in Asmara and expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats this week, while Eritrea responded by severing diplomatic relations with its neighbor.
The dispute has also strained ties between Egypt and Ethiopia. After Ethiopia expelled an Egyptian diplomat this week, Cairo retaliated by expelling an official from the Ethiopian embassy.
On Friday, the African Union called on Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt to avoid actions or rhetoric that could deepen the crisis and urged the countries to settle their disputes through dialogue.
Egypt and Ethiopia have been at odds for years over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, built on the Blue Nile. Cairo says the project poses a threat to its water security, while Addis Ababa describes the dam as vital to Ethiopia’s development.
Ethiopia’s campaign to secure greater access to the Red Sea has introduced another point of friction. Relations between Ethiopia and former ally Eritrea have deteriorated sharply, amid concerns in Asmara that Ethiopia is seeking access to the Eritrean port of Assab.
Against that backdrop, Egypt, Eritrea and Somalia have deepened their political and security coordination in recent years.
The three countries held a summit in Asmara in October 2024, where their leaders emphasized respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of regional states. They also agreed to expand security cooperation involving Somalia, Sudan and the Red Sea.
Their ties strengthened further during Somalia’s dispute with Ethiopia over an agreement between Addis Ababa and the breakaway region of North Western State of Somalia to secure access to the Red Sea.
Before Sunday’s summit, El-Sisi met Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki in El-Alamein on Saturday. He reaffirmed Egypt’s support for Eritrea’s “security and stability,” as well as for its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
El-Sisi opposed violations of states’ sovereignty or territorial integrity and called for sustained Egyptian-Eritrean coordination to resolve regional crises peacefully and advance security in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, according to the Egyptian presidency.
Afwerki said the two countries shared broad views on regional developments, including the importance of respecting state sovereignty and territorial integrity and avoiding interference in the internal affairs of other countries.
El-Sisi also held talks Saturday with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, reiterating Cairo’s backing for Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. Egypt and Somalia elevated their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in January 2025.
The summit will coincide with the eighth African Union Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, which Egypt is hosting in El-Alamein on Sunday. The event will bring together African leaders and heads of regional economic communities.
The meetings follow Saturday’s opening of the inaugural Alamein Africa Business Forum, an Egyptian initiative endorsed by the African Union to promote investment, private-sector participation and economic integration across the continent. The forum is expected to take place every two years in El-Alamein.
