Photo courtesy of the Egyptian ministry of foreign affairs
The position was announced during talks in Cairo between Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Egyptians Abroad, Badr Abdelatty, and Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh.
The two ministers also discussed strengthening the strategic partnership between their countries and coordinating positions on issues of mutual concern, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.
Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s full support for Eritrea in safeguarding its sovereignty, national unity, and territorial integrity, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Tamim Khallaf said.
He also praised the outcome of Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki’s recent visit to Egypt and stressed the need to build on growing bilateral engagement.
This includes an April 2026 visit to Egypt by the Eritrean president’s economic adviser and a joint visit to Asmara in May by Egypt’s foreign and transport ministers, accompanied by a delegation of Egyptian businesspeople.
Abdelatty called for the activation of the maritime transport cooperation agreement signed during the Asmara visit.
He also expressed Egypt’s interest in increasing bilateral trade, encouraging joint investments, and expanding the participation of Egyptian private-sector companies in the Eritrean market.
Priority sectors include mining, infrastructure, maritime transport, port connectivity, the development and upgrading of Eritrean ports, pharmaceuticals, fisheries, and housing.
Abdelatty further called for expanded technical and capacity-building cooperation through programmes offered by the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development in line with Eritrea’s needs and priorities.
The two ministers exchanged views on developments in the Horn of Africa, including the situations in Sudan and Somalia.
Abdelatty described the Horn of Africa as “a direct extension of Egyptian national security,” reaffirming Cairo’s commitment to maintaining the region’s security and stability.
He also stressed the importance of supporting national state institutions and preserving the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of regional countries.
Egypt rejects “any unilateral measures” that could infringe upon state sovereignty or undermine the foundations of regional stability, he added.
Egypt and Eritrea have intensified political, economic, and security coordination in recent years amid instability in Sudan and Somalia, increasing geopolitical competition in the Horn of Africa, and threats to navigation through the Red Sea and Bab Al-Mandab Strait.
Their latest high-level talks followed Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki’s visit to Cairo on 8 June, when he and President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed the Sudan conflict, developments in the Horn of Africa, and Red Sea security.
The two leaders reiterated their support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of regional states and for coastal countries to lead security arrangements in the strategic waterway.
Economic cooperation has also accelerated. During a high-level Egyptian visit to Asmara in May, Egypt and Eritrea signed a maritime transport agreement to strengthen logistical ties and expand bilateral trade and investment.
The agreement is expected to establish a regular shipping link between Egyptian and Eritrean Red Sea ports, potentially lowering transport costs and strengthening regional trade.
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