Egypt Supports Dubious Alliances Threatening Stability in Horn of Africa, Says EIPD President

Addis Ababa, August 21, 2026 (ENA) — President of the Ethiopian Institute for Public Diplomacy Yassin Ahmed has warned that conflict-driven regional alliances threaten the stability of the Horn of Africa, pointing to Egypt’s role in supporting regional actors, foremost among them the Eritrean regime.

Yassin made the remarks in an interview with the Ethiopian News Agency, explaining that what is known as “Tsimdo,” which means “Alliance,” began between the Eritrean regime and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) before expanding to include the Sudanese regime as a third party, while Egypt, according to his assessment, supports the Eritrean regime.

He said the involvement of multiple regional actors in such dubious alliances deepens polarization in the region and increases the likelihood of tensions and conflict, rather than promoting cooperation, development, and stability.

“These alliances are not based on economic partnership and regional integration, but rather on hostility and conflict, and therefore threaten the stability of the Horn of Africa,” Yassin said.

He stressed that attempts by certain external and regional forces, foremost among them Egypt, alongside the Eritrean and Sudanese regimes, to influence the course of events inside Ethiopia will not achieve their objectives.

Regarding Ethiopia, Yassin said the Ethiopian government views the Pretoria Agreement as a historic milestone that ended a phase of conflict and paved the way for peace, reconstruction, and the restoration of essential services in the Tigray region.

He said the Tigray People’s Liberation Front is facing a political and ideological crisis, noting that it has undergone no fundamental transformation in its political approach since its establishment in 1975 until it lost control of the central government.

He explained that the continuation of political and ideological stagnation is pushing the movement toward choices that do not align with the population’s aspirations for peace and stability, at a time when public awareness of the importance of dialogue is growing.

He noted that a number of young people in the Tigray region are leaving their areas for neighboring regions, fleeing the risks of war and what he described as attempts at forced recruitment.

“The people of Tigray have become aware of their rights and understand that peace and security come through dialogue, while the TPLF continues to rely on military force to attain power,” Yassin said.

He stressed that the unity of the Ethiopian people and growing national consensus constitute a barrier against attempts to destabilize the country, noting that the Ethiopian National Dialogue is playing an important role in promoting peace and preventing external interference.

“The success of the National Dialogue and the unity of the Ethiopian people will constitute an impregnable barrier against attempts at external interference and efforts to destabilize Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa,” Yassin said.

He concluded by emphasizing that stability in the Horn of Africa cannot be achieved through military alliances or regional polarization, but rather through dialogue, economic cooperation, and integration among the countries of the region.