Egyptian President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi hosted Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki in Cairo on Thursday for talks that underscored a deepening partnership between the two Red Sea nations. The meeting reflected Egypt's broader push to reassert its influence in the turbulent Horn of Africa. The meeting — which coincided with Afwerki's attendance at the inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) — was the latest in a series of high-level exchanges between Cairo and Asmara. It followed Sisi's visit to Eritrea in October 2024, a trip that signalled a new phase in relations once marked by cautious distance. At the heart of Thursday's discussions was a shared concern over the widening war in Sudan, where Egypt and Eritrea have positioned themselves as advocates for state unity and stability in the face of competing regional agendas. According to a statement from the Egyptian presidency, both leaders agreed that resolving the conflict requires bolstering Sudan's national institutions — particularly the Armed Forces — and rejecting any attempts to create "parallel entities," a veiled reference to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Sisi highlighted Egypt's diplomatic efforts through the African Quartet Mechanism, which includes Saudi Arabia, the United States, and the African Union, to help end the fighting and ease the humanitarian crisis. The Egyptian leader reaffirmed his country's commitment to preserving Sudan's territorial integrity — a message consistent with Cairo's longstanding fears that Sudan's fragmentation could destabilise its southern border and threaten the Nile's strategic water resources. For Eritrea, the deepening ties with Egypt represent a valuable diplomatic and economic lifeline. Eritrea has sought to reemerge as a regional player after years of sanctions and strained relations with Western capitals. Afwerki, who has ruled since independence in 1993, praised what he called Egypt's "stabilising role" in East Africa and voiced support for expanding economic cooperation in trade, infrastructure, and investment. The two presidents also discussed the fragile security situation in Somalia, reiterating their commitment to the principles laid out during the Egypt–Eritrea–Somalia trilateral summit held in Asmara last year. That declaration emphasised respect for international law and the sovereignty of regional states — a message widely seen as directed at Ethiopia, whose maritime ambitions have unsettled neighbouring countries along the Red Sea. Both leaders devoted part of their meeting to the security of the Red Sea, one of the world's most vital maritime corridors. With tensions rising due to conflict in Yemen and attacks on commercial shipping, Cairo has grown increasingly vocal about the need for greater coordination among Arab and African coastal nations. Sisi urged stronger collaboration between Egypt, Eritrea, and regional partners to ensure freedom of navigation and prevent the Red Sea from becoming a new arena of proxy conflict. The meeting reflects Egypt's evolving foreign policy calculus. Faced with economic pressures at home and shifting power dynamics abroad, Cairo is pursuing a more assertive role in the Horn of Africa — a region critical to its security, trade, and water interests. Building strategic ties with Eritrea gives Egypt not only a political ally on the western edge of the Red Sea but also a foothold in one of the most contested geopolitical zones in the world. For Afwerki, closer alignment with Egypt offers both legitimacy and leverage — a way to counterbalance Ethiopia's growing regional influence and position Eritrea as a key actor in shaping the Horn's future. As the wars in Sudan and Somalia grind on and great-power competition intensifies along the Red Sea, Thursday's meeting signalled that Cairo and Asmara intend to move in lockstep — not just as neighbours, but as partners seeking to shape the direction of a region in flux. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
