Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia summit rejects 'unilateral measures' on water rights

Leaders of Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia concluded a four-way summit by rejecting what they called "unilateral measures" that harm the water rights of Egypt and Sudan, according to Anadolu Agency.

In a joint statement issued at the close of the meeting, the four countries affirmed their commitment to international law governing the use of shared water resources, and called for cooperative frameworks rather than unilateral action by any single state on waterways that cross national borders.

The statement also rejected interference in the internal affairs of countries in the region "under any pretext," a line widely read as a call for regional states to resolve their own disputes without outside pressure.

Regional alignment

The four nations have increasingly coordinated on security and economic issues in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea basin in recent years. Egypt and Sudan, both downstream Nile states, have long pressed for binding agreements on the use of the river's waters, while Eritrea and Somalia have their own stakes in regional stability and maritime security.

The leaders did not announce new binding commitments beyond the joint statement, but described the summit as a step toward closer coordination among the four governments on shared regional concerns.

Anadolu Agency, which first reported on the summit, did not detail further specifics of the discussions or any follow-up meetings planned by the four countries.