Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi reaffirmed his country’s steadfast support for Eritrea’s sovereignty and territorial integrity during talks in Cairo with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki on Thursday.
Sisi hailed Egypt’s “deep-rooted strategic relations” with Eritrea and expressed his determination to strengthen bilateral cooperation, particularly in economic and investment sectors, according to a presidential statement.
The two leaders discussed regional developments, with Sisi emphasising Egypt’s unwavering stance on defending Eritrea’s territorial unity.
Afwerki, in turn, voiced appreciation for Egypt’s role in promoting stability and development across the Horn of Africa and East Africa.
Afwerki’s visit comes at a delicate time, following Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s recent call for international mediation with Eritrea over access to the Red Sea.
Eritrea’s independence from Ethiopia in 1991 left Addis Ababa landlocked, a historical grievance now resurfacing amid rising geopolitical competition.
Cairo’s relations with Ethiopia are already strained by the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) dispute over Nile waters — a source of deepening regional friction.