It came during a telephone call al-Sisi received from his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron.

Al-Sisi added that he is “closely following the agreement recently reached between Ethiopia and Somalia through Turkish mediation.”

He expressed his “hope that this agreement would contribute to achieving security and stability in the Horn of Africa region, and that it would be in line with the principles of international law.”

The two presidents emphasized “the importance of further enhancing cooperation across various fields, especially economic and investment, while emphasizing the need to attract more French companies to invest in development projects in Egypt,” it said.

The call also involved an exchange of views on regional developments.

The Egyptian president stressed “the close link between security and stability in the Horn of Africa and Egypt’s national security.”

He pointed out that Egypt “is working to support Somalia to achieve security and stability, whether through bilateral cooperation or by participating in the African Union peacekeeping mission at Somalia’s request.”

Ethiopia and Somalia have been at odds since Ethiopia struck a deal in January with Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland to use its Red Sea port of Berbera.

Türkiye has been working to resolve these tensions.

The Ankara Declaration, brokered by Türkiye and signed Dec. 12, marked a turning point in relations between the Horn of Africa neighbors.

Somalian and Ethiopian leaders emphasized that the declaration “reaffirmed their respect and commitment to one another’s sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity.”

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Source: Anadolu Agency

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“I categorically refute claims that Ethiopia has been granted access to the Red Sea. These baseless assertions lack any foundation. Somalia remains committed to protecting its sovereignty and ensuring transparency on national issues,” Fiqi stated on X.

I categorically refute claims that Ethiopia has been granted access to the Red Sea. These baseless assertions lack any foundation. Somalia remains committed to protecting its sovereignty and ensuring transparency on national issues.

— Hon. Ahmed FIQI (@AhmedMoFiqi) December 25, 2024

The denial follows a prior statement attributed to Fiqi, suggesting Somalia had agreed to grant Ethiopia Red Sea access as part of the Ankara Declaration, a deal brokered by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on December 11, 2024.

The Ankara Declaration aims to resolve tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia, particularly following Ethiopia’s controversial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Somaliland on January 1, 2024.

That MoU granted Ethiopia access to the Red Sea while Somaliland sought recognition as an independent state.

As part of the agreement, technical committees will be established to address maritime disputes, with a resolution deadline set for mid-2025.

However, the deal has sparked controversy, particularly within the Tripartite Alliance of Somalia, Eritrea, and Egypt, which opposes Ethiopia’s ambitions for Red Sea access.

Eritrea and Egypt view Ethiopia’s demands as a threat to regional stability.

Eritrean Foreign Ministry advisor Abdulkadir Idris criticized the agreement in comments to BBC Somali, arguing that it undermines Somalia’s sovereignty and risks destabilizing the region.

“The agreement is hasty and poorly conceived,” Idris warned, expressing frustration over Somalia’s swift acceptance of the deal.

He also cautioned that it could strain existing alliances and lead to diplomatic fallout.

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