Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan issue joint declaration as Ethiopia war escalates

October 5, 2026 at 05:33 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

The leaders of Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan issued a joint declaration on Sunday in New Alamein City, Egypt, calling for political and peaceful solutions to regional conflicts. The declaration backed Sudan's military-led government and said control of the Red Sea should remain with coastal states. It came as fighting escalated in Ethiopia between federal forces and a seven-group armed alliance.

Key Facts

The joint declaration was issued after a meeting in New Alamein City, Egypt, on Sunday.
The declaration backed Sudan's military-led government and called for a political process led by Sudanese parties.
The declaration said control of the Red Sea should remain with the coastal states.
Government and allied forces retook the city of Mekelle on Sunday after the TPLF said it temporarily moved out of Tigray's regional capital.
Ethiopia has accused Egypt, Eritrea and Sudan of backing the armed alliance fighting its government.

The Joint Declaration

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan issued the declaration on Sunday following a meeting in New Alamein City in Egypt. The declaration called for political and peaceful solutions amid escalating conflicts across the region, including Sudan's civil war and major fighting in Ethiopia. It backed Sudan's military-led government and called for a political process led by Sudanese parties. The declaration also said control of the Red Sea should remain with the coastal states, seemingly in response to landlocked Ethiopia's pursuit of sovereign access to the sea and a naval presence.

Regional Tensions

Ethiopia has accused Egypt, Eritrea and Sudan of backing the armed alliance fighting its government, while officials from all three countries have denied involvement. Earlier on Sunday, el-Sisi said that cross-border challenges required a dialogue, not confrontation. Egypt and Sudan, which have long disputed Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Nile, warned against what they called unilateral measures that harm downstream states. Somalia's Mohamud told Al Jazeera on Saturday that Mogadishu does not object to Ethiopia securing commercial access through Somali ports, provided it is agreed with Somalia.

Ethiopia Conflict Escalation

The joint declaration was issued as fighting escalated in Ethiopia between federal forces and a seven-group armed alliance, including the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). Government and allied forces retook the city of Mekelle on Sunday after the TPLF said it temporarily moved out of Tigray's regional capital to operate from somewhere else. According to Ethiopian state media reports, former Tigray interim leader Abraham Belay said on Sunday that the federal government is preparing a new temporary administration for the region and hopes to hold regional elections within months. Ethiopian officials have accused neighbouring Eritrea of directly backing the rebel alliance in Ethiopia's civil war.