Photo courtesy of the spokesman for the Egyptian presidency.
The talks, held during President Afwerki's official visit to Cairo, underscored growing coordination between Egypt and Eritrea on regional security issues.
President El-Sisi welcomed the Eritrean leader to Egypt and highlighted the longstanding historical ties between the two countries, stressing the need to further expand cooperation, particularly in trade, investment, and economic development, according to Presidential Spokesman Mohamed El-Shennawy.
The Egyptian president also reaffirmed Cairo's unwavering support for Eritrea's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
For his part, Afwerki expressed appreciation for Egypt's support for Eritrea's development efforts and praised the progress in bilateral relations, reiterating Asmara's commitment to strengthening cooperation and advancing shared interests.
The visit included an official reception ceremony, followed by expanded talks attended by delegations from both countries, a bilateral meeting between the two leaders, and a luncheon hosted by President El-Sisi in honour of the Eritrean president and his accompanying delegation.
Regional developments were a key focus of the talks, with the two leaders reviewing the situation in the Horn of Africa.
El-Sisi reiterated Egypt's longstanding position in support of maintaining security and stability in the Horn of Africa, describing the region as an extension of Egypt's national security and stressing the importance of continued coordination between Cairo and Asmara.
Afwerki praised Egypt's efforts to promote peace, stability, and development across the region and emphasized the importance of bilateral coordination to preserve regional security.
The two presidents also discussed developments in Sudan, where El-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt's support for Sudan's unity, sovereignty, security, and stability.
Both sides stressed the need to end the ongoing conflict and support efforts aimed at restoring comprehensive stability in the neighbouring country.
The leaders further reviewed cooperation to ensure security in the Red Sea and maintain freedom of maritime navigation.
El-Sisi stressed the importance of closer coordination between Red Sea coastal states, reaffirming Egypt’s position that responsibility for the governance and security of the waterway rests exclusively with its littoral countries.
Afwerki supported this position, and both leaders agreed to continue consultations and coordination to promote regional peace, stability, and development.
Over recent years, Egypt and Eritrea have expanded political, security, and diplomatic coordination, driven by shared concerns over instability in Sudan, security challenges in Somalia, growing geopolitical competition in the Horn of Africa, and the need to secure navigation through the Red Sea and Bab El-Mandeb Strait.
Both countries have consistently advocated respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of regional states and have emphasized that security arrangements in the Red Sea should be led primarily by the countries bordering the waterway.
The meeting came weeks after Egypt and Eritrea signed a maritime transport cooperation agreement in Asmara during a visit by Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Transport Minister Kamel Al-Wazir.
The agreement aims to strengthen logistical connectivity and expand trade, investment, and economic cooperation between the two countries.
Egypt, Eritrea, and Somalia have strengthened coordination in recent years through a trilateral framework focused on regional stability, countering security threats, and promoting development in the Horn of Africa.
Cairo has repeatedly stressed that security and governance of the Red Sea should remain the responsibility of coastal states, amid growing regional competition and concerns over maritime security in one of the world’s most strategic shipping routes.
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