Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia issue declaration on Red Sea governance, state sovereignty, water rights

Cairo: The leaders of Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia have issued a joint declaration on state sovereignty, Red Sea governance, and water rights, stressing the necessity of adhering to international law as the foundation for regional stability and cooperation.

In the El Alamein Joint Declaration issued following the quadrilateral consultative summit in Egypt's New Alamein on Sunday (local time), the leaders rejected interference in the internal affairs of the region's states "under any pretext."

The summit was attended by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, chairman of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council, reports Xinhua news agency.

The leaders discussed regional and international developments and ways to strengthen political, economic, trade and cultural cooperation among the four countries, and addressed a number of regional issues.

On Sudan, the leaders support the unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national institutions of the Republic of Sudan, rejecting the establishment of any parallel entities.

They reject any recognition of or support for the so-called "Somaliland" and affirm that the governance of the Red Sea is the exclusive responsibility of the littoral states.

The declaration also stressed the importance of respecting international law regarding transboundary rivers, including the Nile River, particularly the principle of "no harm" and the obligation to cooperate through prior notification, consultation, and consensus.

They categorically reject "any unilateral measures that harm the existing water uses of the two downstream Nile states."

The summit came amid growing Egyptian efforts to strengthen coordination with countries in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region over regional security and stability.

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