The recent summit between Egypt, Eritrea and Somalia signals yet another major shift in the geopolitics of the Horn of Africa — a region long beset by chronic instability, rivalry and competing interests. This trilateral summit, held in Asmara, Eritrea, was ostensibly intended to put up a united front amid regional security challenges. And the big elephant in the room was Ethiopia — Africa's second most populous nation and a major player concerning regional trends.

While the summit projected itself as an alignment in each country’s strategic interest to maintain a semblance of stability; it was actually intended to encircle Ethiopia — waiting next door — with tensions over its activities and influence continuing to simmer underneath. Officially, the main subject of talks was a pact to boost cooperation and shore up autonomy in the region. The trio of leaders, Eritrea's Isaias Afwerki, Egypt's Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Somalia's Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, emphasized the importance of maintaining territorial integrity and resisting external interference in the joint statement.

The Horn of Africa is riddled with complex alliances and historical grievances. Ethiopia has often found itself at the center of these power dynamics, particularly given its controversial deal with Somaliland and ongoing tensions with Egypt over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. A proposed deal under which Ethiopia would acquire a piece of Somaliland shoreline, to be used by its navy and for commercial purposes, has been the........

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