Eritrea and Egypt today announced their intention to strengthen the armed forces of Somalia. Presidents of Eritrea, Egypt and Somalia held a tripartite summit in Asmara today. A 6-point joint statement was issued after the conclusion of the summit attended by President Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea, Hassan Sheikh the President of Somalia, and Abdul Fattah al Sisi the President of Egypt.
“The Three Heads of State underlined the imperative of adhering to the basic principles and pillars of international law as the indispensable basis for regional stability and cooperation: especially unequivocal respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the countries of the region; confronting interference in the internal affairs of the countries of the region under any pretext or justification,” sates the joint communique.
Eritrea, Egypt and Somalia “agreed to develop and deepen cooperation to enhance the capabilities of the Somali state institutions to confront various internal and external challenges, and to enable the Somali National Federal Army to confront terrorism in all its forms, protect its land and sea borders, and maintain its territorial integrity.”
Egypt is set to send its peacekeepers in Somalia, a move which is being vehemently opposed by Ethiopia. The tripartite summit participants “welcomed the efforts made by the State of Eritrea and the Arab Republic of Egypt in supporting stability in brotherly State of Somalia and enhancing the capabilities of the Federal Government, and commended the offer of the Arab Republic of Egypt to contribute forces within the framework of peacekeeping efforts in Somalia.”
The three countries announced the formation of a “Joint Tripartite Committee of the Foreign Ministers of Eritrea, Egypt, and Somalia for strategic cooperation in all fields.”
There are brief references to the the civil war in Sudan and Red Sea security, but the joint communique is mainly about Eritrean and Egyptian announcement to back Somalia in the ongoing confrontation between Somalia and Ethiopia.
Since January this year, Somalia and Ethiopia have been involved in a dispute. Somalia has expelled Ethiopian ambassador and withdrawn its ambassador to Addis Ababa. The tension rose when Ethiopia signed a controversial Memorandum of Understanding with Somaliland. Somalia calls this MoU a violation of its territorial integrity and sovereignty. It seems that Eritrea and Egypt have given full backing to Somalia in case of further escalation between Somalia and Ethiopia.
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