President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said Egypt highly appreciates strategic relations with Eritrea and firmly supports the African country’s sovereignty and its territorial integrity.
Sisi made the remarks during his meeting on Thursday with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki in the presence of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty and Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh, said Presidential Spokesman Mohamed el Shennawy.
The president stressed Egypt’s keenness to enhance cooperation with Eritrea in different fields, especially in the economic and investment ones, in a way that backs Afwerki’s efforts to advance the national development process.
The spokesman added that the two presidents exchanged views on the latest regional developments, where President Sisi emphasized Egypt’s steadfast commitment to supporting Eritrea’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
On his part, the Eritrean president lauded Egypt’s role under President Sisi in consolidating the pillars of stability and pushing forward development efforts in the Horn of Africa and East Africa.
Afwerki said his country looks forward to fostering economic cooperation with Egypt and strengthening bilateral coordination on international and regional issues of mutual interest.
The spokesman stated that the two leaders discussed developments in the Horn of Africa and affirmed identical views between Egypt and Eritrea regarding ways to end the war in Sudan.
In this regard, Sisi and Afwerki emphasized the need to support national state institutions in Sudan, foremost among them the Sudanese Armed Forces, while rejecting any attempts to establish parallel entities.
President Sisi also highlighted Egypt’s ongoing efforts within the framework of the Quartet Mechanism to help end the war in Sudan and alleviate the humanitarian suffering of the Sudanese people, reiterating his country’s commitment to working with partners to preserve Sudan’s unity, territorial integrity, and national sovereignty.
The meeting also addressed the latest updates in Somalia, where both presidents reaffirmed their adherence to the principles outlined in the Joint Trilateral Statement issued following the summit held in Asmara in October 2024 between the leaders of Egypt, Eritrea, and Somalia.
The statement underscored the need to respect the fundamental principles of international law, foremost among them the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Somalia and all countries of the region.
The pair also stressed the importance of joint coordination to achieve regional stability and strengthen Somali state institutions in addressing internal and external challenges.
The spokesman said the meeting underlined the importance of enhancing cooperation to safeguard the security of the Red Sea and ensure the freedom of navigation in this vital waterway.
On that score, President Sisi underlined the necessity of intensifying coordination between Egypt and Eritrea, as well as with Arab and African littoral states, to reinforce security and stability in this strategic region.
