Sudanupdated 1h ago2 min read
Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan Issue El Alamein Joint Declaration Backing Sudan-Led Political Process
Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan issued a joint declaration backing a Sudan-led political process. Declaration calls for political, peaceful solutions to conflicts including Sudan war and Ethiopia escalation.
Alamein Declaration on Sudan
Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan issued the El Alamein Joint Declaration after a consultative summit in New Alamein City, Egypt, and the leaders reaffirmed Sudan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national institutions while rejecting the creation of parallel entities. Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the other leaders backed a Sudanese-led political process led by Sudanese parties, while calling for political and peaceful solutions amid escalating conflicts across the region.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said cross-border challenges required “a dialogue, not confrontation,” as the joint declaration also rejected support for mercenaries and called for stronger regional cooperation. The declaration also committed the four countries to continued consultation and coordination, including with other African states, and it established a mechanism to follow up on the summit’s outcomes through regular meetings.
Red Sea, Nile, and Unity
The leaders placed freedom of navigation and Red Sea governance at the center of the declaration, saying governance of the Red Sea is the exclusive responsibility of its littoral states. The declaration also stressed respect for international law governing transboundary rivers, including the Nile, particularly the principle of causing no harm, and it rejected unilateral measures that could harm the existing water uses of the two downstream Nile states.
Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council head Abdel Fattah al-Burhan met Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in New Alamein city to discuss developments in the war in Sudan and ways to end it, according to the Egyptian presidency. The Egyptian presidency said el-Sisi affirmed Egypt’s firm stance in support of the Sudanese people, insisting on preserving the unity of the country, its sovereignty, its territorial integrity, and the unity of its national institutions.
Regional pressure and next steps
The joint declaration backed Somalia’s unity and rejected any recognition or support for “Somaliland,” while it also supported Somalia’s efforts to combat terrorism and strengthen state control across the country. The leaders urged regional and international partners to provide adequate, sustainable, and predictable funding for the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), to support the security transition and enable an orderly transfer of security responsibilities to Somali forces.
Al Jazeera said the joint declaration appeared to push back against policies pursued by Ethiopia in recent years, and it backed Sudan’s military-led government while calling for a political process led by Sudanese parties. The El Alamein summit also came as Sudan has been at war since April 2023 between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to Al Jazeera.