Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia, and Sudan Sign El-Alamein Declaration; Ethiopia Responds

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud signed the 'El-Alamein Declaration' alongside leaders from Egypt, Eritrea, and Sudan in the Egyptian city of El-Alamein. The joint statement emphasizes principles of prior notification and consultation regarding transboundary rivers, asserting that any actions harming downstream countries Egypt and Sudan are unacceptable. It also addresses security dynamics in the Red Sea. In response, the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that no force can alter Ethiopia's historical and geographical reality regarding the Red Sea and the Nile River. Ethiopia highlighted that it originates 85% of the Nile's waters and lies just 48 kilometers from the Red Sea coast, insisting that any regional negotiations must respect its legitimate rights and contribution.