Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan have called for regional disputes to be resolved through peaceful means as fighting intensifies in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region.
The four countries made the call in a joint declaration issued after a quadrilateral summit hosted by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in New Alamein, Egypt, on Sunday.
The meeting brought together El-Sisi, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council Chairman, General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan.
The leaders stressed the need to respect the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of states, while rejecting interference in their internal affairs.
They also called for disputes to be resolved through peaceful means and reaffirmed the importance of international law in addressing regional challenges.
The summit came as fighting escalated between Ethiopian government forces and an alliance of armed groups led by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
Ethiopian government forces retook Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, on Sunday after TPLF forces withdrew from the city.
Ethiopia has accused Eritrea, Egypt and Sudan of supporting the opposition alliance fighting its government. The three countries have denied the allegations.
The renewed fighting has raised fears of a wider regional conflict, coming after Ethiopia and Eritrea severed diplomatic ties last week amid escalating tensions.
Egypt and Ethiopia have also remained at odds over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and their competing positions on the use of Nile waters.
The four leaders said they would continue consultations and coordination on shared regional challenges, including developments in the Horn of Africa and Red Sea region.
