Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi hosted the leaders of Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan at a quadrilateral summit in New Alamein on Sunday, as tensions with Ethiopia deepen over the Horn of Africa and the Nile.

El-Sisi met Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Sudanese army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan. The leaders adopted the El Alamein Joint Declaration, setting out common positions on Red Sea governance, Sudan’s territorial integrity, Somalia’s sovereignty and the Nile.

The declaration says governance of the Red Sea is the exclusive responsibility of its littoral states and rejects any recognition of Somaliland. On the Nile, it calls for respect for international law and prior consultation, rejecting unilateral measures that could harm downstream states. The four countries also agreed to a follow-up mechanism for continued coordination.

The summit follows a sharp deterioration in relations: Egypt and Ethiopia expelled diplomats last week, Ethiopia closed its embassy in Eritrea, and Asmara severed ties with Addis Ababa. Ethiopia has accused the three countries of backing Tigrayan fighters, a charge they deny.