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Senior Eritrean delegation met with President el-Sisi

https://shabait.com/2023/10/14/senior-e ... eaPrevails

Asmara, 14 October 2023- Senior Eritrean delegation composed of Mr. Osman Saleh, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Presidential Adviser Mr. Yemane Gebreab met today, 14 October in Cairo President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and delivered message of President Isaias Afwerki regarding the tragic situation in the Sudan.

In his letter, President Isaias stressed the need to bolster efforts to end the war and create the ground for durable peace by uniting current multiple initiatives.



President Sisi, thanked President Isaias for his unwavering commitment and solidarity with Sudan.

President el-Sisi also stressed, the similarity of the views of Eritrea and Egypt on the situation in Sudan.



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Egypt’s Sisi receives message from Eritrean counterpart to strengthen bilateral ties

https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/1/12 ... oy9hstbaeg


Egypt’s Sisi receives message from Eritrean counterpart to strengthen bilateral ties- press photo

CAIRO – 14 October 2023: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received Osman Saleh, the Eritrean Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Yemane Ghebreab, the Eritrean President’s Advisor for Political Affairs, on Saturday.

President Sisi received a written message from Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, who expressed his country’s aspiration to develop bilateral relations with Egypt at various levels, in light of the ties that bind the two countries; especially at the present time when he regional environment is witnessing many successive challenges that require intensified consultation and joint coordination, said Egyptian Presidency in a statement.

President Sisi expressed his greetings and appreciation to President Afwerki, stressing Egypt’s mutual keenness to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries; especially with regard to coordination on regional security issues, as well as consolidating cooperation and joint projects in various development fields, and diversifying and strengthening cooperation frameworks between the two countries, the statement added.

The meeting touched on the latest regional developments of mutual interest, especially with regard to the files of the Horn of Africa and the situation in Sudan, where it was agreed to continue consultations at various levels to follow up on these developments, in order to support security and stability in the region, the statement said.

The meeting was attended by Sameh Shoukry, the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Major General Abbas Kamel, the Head of the Egyptian General Intelligence.

Answer:

Horn Perspectives: @horn_outlook

Thread on @AbiyAhmedAli lecture about the Red Sea:

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1713 ... 17171.html

In his 45-minute theatrical speech aired yesterday, PM Abiy argued that Ethiopia has a historical and economic right to access the Red Sea and suggested re-federation or a land swap with Eritrea as a means to achieve it.

His lecture was irresponsible, riddled with historical inaccuracies, and filled with half-baked arguments. He evoked the history of Axum and Emperor Haile Selassie to make a historical claim and suggest that Ethiopia’s access to the sea once made it a world-class power.

My natural reaction was, ‘So what?’ The once world-class Austrian Empire had access to the sea, but modern-day Austria is landlocked. The great Mali Empire was on the coast, but Mali has to rely on the seaports of neighbors to engage in global trade.

A side note: The history of Axum belongs to the people of the region, not only to Ethiopia. And, his argument about the ‘legendary’ Haile Selassie era willfully ignores an important fact-Eritreans saw it as an occupation and were waging a liberation war.

However, the central point is modern state system in Africa is based on the agreement that borders inherited from colonialism should not be changed. A smart move for our forefathers to avoid deadly border conflicts that will upend the continent. rb.gy/dx3t6

The border between Eritrea & Ethiopia is one of the most clearly demarcated borders in Africa, if not in the world. Any claim, even if in words, contradicts the AU and UN Charters; which hold sovereignty as sacrosanct. It is an affront to Pan-Africanism.

His claim of access to the sea based on cultural ties, is flawed and dangerous. To begin with, all African countries that are landlocked have ethnic ties with their neighboring countries, but it doesn’t grant them the right to claim a piece of another country’s coastline.

For example, Niger and Nigeria are often described as cousins in West Africa due to their very close historical ties and deep tribal links (both are the home of Hausa people). This tribal link, however, doesn’t give Niger the right to claim a piece of Nigeria’s coast. This is the case with all landlocked countries and is no a ground for territorial claim.

The population aspect of his argument failed to mention that Ethiopia has 8 ports in neighboring countries, many within 500km of its major cities and industries. This significantly reduces transport costs, a luxury not many countries enjoy.

For example, Kazakhstan is 3750 km away from the sea and Afghanistan, Chad, Niger, Zambia, and Zimbabwe are over 2000 km from the nearest sea. Uzbekistan is double-landlocked, as all its neighbors are landlocked.

The question that always bugs me is: don’t the Ethiopian political elite learn from history—a very recent one, for that matter? Their methods and rhetoric about Eritrea are eerily similar, yet every time they expect different results.

In matters pertaining to sovereignty, there is nothing called ‘let’s just talk about it.’ It’s like someone saying,

I have a legitimate claim over your spouse. I’m not saying I will act on it, but let’s talk about it.

Does that make any sense? I don’t think so.

Such rhetoric will only lead to further anxiety in the region, reduce the willingness of states to give up some of their sovereignty for regional cooperation, and create explosive tensions that could lead to a major war in the region,l. The results of which, only God knows.

Ethiopian political leaders and the intelligentsia should not jump on the bandwagon, but set the record straight—call for respect for international law and good neighborliness. The region will suffer, and I doubt Ethiopia will remain one if it undertakes such an adventure.

Please learn from history. The Eritrean people cherish their independence. In the past seven decades, Ethiopian leaders who tried to occupy Eritrea have never lived to tell their story.