According to an official statement by Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cairo highlighted the dangers of the increasing official actions, procedures and statements issued by countries in the region and outside it, which undermine stability in the Horn of Africa.
The statement was released following news Monday that the breakaway region of Somaliland struck a controversial deal with Ethiopia giving Addis Ababa access to the Red Sea, triggering fury in Mogadishu, which considers it a violation of its sovereignty.
The statement said that these actions further increase the tensions between African countries, at a time when solidarity is needed to contain conflicts, not fuel them.
Furthermore, Egypt stressed the need to respect the objectives and principles of the African Union, where member states have pledged themselves to respect the borders and to not interfere in each others’ internal affairs.
Moreover, Egypt called for upholding the values and principles of cooperation and joint action in order to achieve the interests of the peoples of the region, and avoid taking unilateral measures that increase tensions and expose the interests of the countries of the region and their national security to risks and threats.
On Tuesday, Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi reasserted Egypt’s firm position to stand by Somalia and support its security and stability, during a phone call with his Somalian counterpart Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud.
The two leaders also talked about bilateral relations and developing cooperation, as well as the latest regional developments.
The agreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland was announced only days after Mogadishu agreed to resume dialogue with the separatist northern region after years of stalemate.
Somaliland has been seeking full statehood since claiming independence from Somalia in 1991, a move fiercely opposed by Mogadishu and not recognized internationally.
The Addis Ababa agreement gives landlocked Ethiopia long-desired access to the Red Sea, a key waterway for global trade.