The leaders of Egypt, Somalia, and Eritrea, all of whom have strained relations with Ethiopia, held a high-level summit in Asmara, Eritrea, signaling a deepening alignment against Addis Ababa’s regional ambitions.
The summit, which concluded with a joint statement emphasizing “respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity,†appeared to subtly address Ethiopia’s desire for Red Sea access, though Ethiopia was not directly mentioned.
This trilateral meeting comes in the wake of growing diplomatic friction between Somalia and Ethiopia, pushing Somalia closer to Egypt and Eritrea, two countries that have long-standing disputes with Addis Ababa. Observers have raised concerns that this alignment could further destabilize the already fragile Horn of Africa.
Hassan Khannenje, Director of the Horn International Institute for Strategic Studies, remarked on the growing tensions, describing the alliance as an “axis against Addis Ababa†intended to increase pressure on Ethiopia.
The summit produced a key agreement among the leaders to support Somalia’s efforts in strengthening state institutions and bolstering the Somali National Federal Army to better confront terrorism, particularly al-Shabaab.
Somalia’s frustrations with Ethiopia have grown since the latter signed a preliminary agreement with the self-declared republic of Somaliland earlier this year, granting Ethiopia access to a portion of Somaliland’s coastline. Somalia, which views Somaliland as part of its sovereign territory, has taken this move as a direct affront to its authority.
Tensions between Ethiopia and Egypt have also simmered for more than a decade due to Ethiopia’s construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Nile, a project Cairo views as a potential threat to its vital water resources.
Egypt’s strategic interests in the Horn of Africa have become more apparent, with military cooperation between Egypt and Somalia increasing in recent months. In August, Egyptian military planes delivered arms to Somalia, followed by a significant shipment of military equipment last month.
This week’s summit also marked President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s first visit to Eritrea, while Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has made multiple trips to Asmara this year, further solidifying the relationship between the three nations.
The Horn of Africa has seen shifting alliances over recent years. Relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea, which were believed to have thawed after a historic 2018 peace agreement that earned Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed a Nobel Peace Prize, have since soured. The breakdown followed the civil war in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, in which Eritrea sided with the Ethiopian government.
Though Eritrea supported Ethiopia during the conflict, it has remained lukewarm about the peace deal that ended the war in 2022.
Additionally, Abiy’s statement last year about Ethiopia’s need for a Red Sea port has raised further concerns in Eritrea and Somalia, fueling regional friction.
