Leaders of Egypt, Eritrea, and Somalia Convene for a Three-Nation Summit in Asmara
On October 10, 2024, Presidents Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi of Egypt, Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea, and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia, gathered in Eritrea’s capital for what turned out to be a remarkable powwow.
This exclusive Tripartite Summit, held on a Thursday, aimed to bolster relationships and tackle the hair-raising regional security issues that shadow their nations. The host, President Afwerki, ushered in a fresh chapter of camaraderie between these countries.
The Egyptian entourage, led by Abbas Kamel, the mastermind of the General Intelligence Service, alongside Foreign Affairs Hotshot Badr Abdelatty, painted a vivid picture of burgeoning cooperation.
Meanwhile, a smoldering conflict simmers between Somalia and Ethiopia. The heat is emanating from Ethiopia’s legally dubious maritime pact with the renegade Somali region of North Western State of Somalia, ruffling international feathers, including those at the African Union (AU), which has its own playbook in Somalia.
Amid these murky waters, Somalia is maneuvering to finalize the framework for its new AU Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), as the current mission nears its curtain call. Hussein Moalim, Somalia’s national security point man, made it crystal clear: Ethiopian troops ain’t on the guest list unless Addis Ababa tears up the sketchy deal struck with North Western State of Somalia earlier this year.
In a chat with VOA Somali, Moalim stated, “Ethiopian troops are persona non grata in the fresh mission unless they ditch that sneaky memorandum with North Western State of Somalia.”
The horses are out of the barn as Somalia deems the January-signed memorandum a brazen trampling of its sovereignty and borders. The clandestine agreement offers Ethiopia a cozy spot along 20 kilometers of the Red Sea waterfront, potentially sweetening the jackpot with recognition of North Western State of Somalia’s autonomy.
The deal’s fallout included Somalia booting the Ethiopian ambassador and rhetorical threats to uproot Ethiopian boots from the southern and heartland stretches of Somalia.
Backing Somalia all the way, Egypt and Eritrea barf at the thought of such agreements undercutting Somali unity.
President Al-Sisi of Egypt hasn’t minced words, pointing to Somalia’s historical woes, “We’re not extending a helping hand to Somalia because of Ethiopia, it’s about thirty years of chaos,” he emphasized during a side gab at a police academy graduation bash.
Following this significant week of focus on Egypt’s ties to Somali stability, Egypt sent a hearty chunk of military gear via cargo ship — a strategic boost from the Egyptian Armed Forces to their Somali comrades.
Somalia’s Defence Top Dog, Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, acknowledged the gesture, saying, “We will choose wisely between allies and foes. Big thanks to Egypt,” illustrating the military rapport between the two nations.
This hefty shipment, a rarity in modern arms transfers to Somalia from buddies abroad, further cements Somalia’s ascending clout on the global front. Remarkably, it was Egypt’s second arms dispatch to Somalia.
A month prior in August, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s Cairo sojourn culminated in a momentous defense and military teamwork pact, solidifying Egypt and Somalia’s pledge to reinforce their bonds and keep regional peace on the up-and-up.
Edited by: Ali Musa
Axadle international–Monitoring
