Leaders of Egypt, Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia reaffirmed freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and said governance of the waterway is the exclusive responsibility of littoral states at a quadrilateral summit in Egypt on October 4. The position was included in the El Alamein Joint Declaration.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi hosted Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in New Alamein City.
The declaration reaffirmed respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of states in the region. The leaders also rejected interference in internal affairs and called for disputes to be addressed through peaceful means.
In Sudan, the four countries supported the country’s unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity and national institutions. They rejected the establishment of parallel entities and called for a Sudanese-owned and Sudanese-led political process.
The declaration also reaffirmed Somalia’s territorial integrity and rejected recognition or support for Somaliland.
On Red Sea affairs, the leaders affirmed freedom of navigation and stated that governance of the Red Sea is the exclusive responsibility of its littoral states.
The summit also addressed Nile water issues. The leaders called for adherence to international law and opposed unilateral measures affecting existing water use by Egypt and Sudan.
The four countries agreed to establish a mechanism to follow up on the summit’s outcomes and strengthen coordination among their governments.
The meeting was held in New Alamein City on October 4, with the four leaders discussing regional and international issues as well as political, trade and economic cooperation.
