Egypt To Host Four-Way Summit Amid Ethiopia Crisis

The leaders of Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan will hold a four-way summit in Egypt’s New Alamein city on Sunday to discuss regional developments amid renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Sudan’s Sovereign Council Chairman Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan will attend the summit. The Egyptian presidency said the meeting would focus on “consultation and coordination about regional issues of mutual concern”. It did not provide further details about the issues expected to be discussed.

The summit comes amid worsening diplomatic tensions between Ethiopia and its neighbours. Ethiopia and Eritrea recently severed diplomatic relations, while Egypt and Ethiopia exchanged expulsions of diplomats.

Fighting resumed in September between Ethiopian federal forces and an opposition alliance led by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), with clashes spreading into parts of southern Tigray and the neighbouring Afar region. The renewed conflict has raised concerns about wider regional tensions, with Ethiopia accusing Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt of supporting the opposition alliance. The three countries have denied the allegations. The African Union has called on Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt to exercise restraint and resolve their differences through diplomatic channels.

The four leaders are also expected to attend other high-level African meetings taking place in New Alamein, including the African Union Mid-Year Coordination Meeting on Sunday.

SOURCE: AA