Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki Visits Egypt Amid Heightened Diplomatic Tensions With Ethiopia

Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki has traveled to Egypt upon an invitation from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to participate in the 'Al-Ameen Africa Forum' in Cairo. This working visit marks President Isaias's third trip to Egypt this year, underscoring the strengthening strategic ties between Asmara and Cairo. The forum brings together leaders from numerous African nations, including Somalia, Uganda, Djibouti, South Africa, and Nigeria, focusing on regional peace, stability, and maritime cooperation across the Red Sea and Nile Basin regions. The visit comes amidst a severe escalation in diplomatic strife involving Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Egypt. Ethiopia recently announced the closure of its embassy in Asmara and expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats within 48 hours, alleging activities that compromised Ethiopian national security. In response, Eritrea declared a complete severance of diplomatic relations with Ethiopia, accusing Addis Ababa of hostile actions and threats to its sovereignty. Concurrently, Ethiopia expelled an Egyptian diplomat, prompting retaliatory measures from Cairo. The African Union Commission has expressed deep concern over the escalating tensions among the three neighboring nations and confirmed it is closely monitoring the situation.