The leaders of five African countries and several international organizations gathered in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, on Thursday to discuss the escalating tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia over the disputed Red Sea coastline.
The summit, which was requested by the Somali government, was convened by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a regional bloc that aims to promote peace and cooperation in the Horn of Africa.
The Presidents of Somalia, Uganda, Kenya, Djibouti and South Sudan attended the meeting, along with high-level representatives from the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union and the Arab League. Senior delegates from the United States, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates also participated in the summit.
The only IGAD member that was absent from the meeting was Ethiopia, which has been accused by Somalia of violating its sovereignty and territorial integrity by attempting to annex a 20-kilometer stretch of the Red Sea coast that belongs to Somalia.
The IGAD summit aimed to find a peaceful solution to the crisis, and to prevent further escalation of violence and instability in the region, which could have serious implications for the security and development of the Horn of Africa and beyond.
