The most important developments in sub-Saharan Africa. Six days a week.
The leaders of Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan issued a joint declaration in New Alamein, Egypt, on 4 October. It says only coastal states should govern the Red Sea, rejects "unilateral measures" that harm downstream users of the Nile, opposes recognition of Somaliland and sets up a joint regional security mechanism. The text does not name Ethiopia, but its points address Addis Ababa's search for sea access and its Nile dam, days after Ethiopia broke with Eritrea and expelled an Egyptian diplomat. The meeting widens the 2024 alignment of Egypt, Eritrea and Somalia to Sudan's army-led government, leaving Ethiopia facing a coordinated group of neighbours while it fights at home.
South Sudan's President Salva Kiir travelled to Nairobi on 4 October for talks with Kenya's President William Ruto, his first foreign trip since he dissolved the transitional unity government on 22 September. He installed a caretaker administration and dropped all five vice-presidents. His office said the talks would cover the general elections set for 22 December, regional security and infrastructure, including the refinery Kenya has launched in Lamu. Kiir is seeking regional backing for what would be South Sudan's first elections since independence in 2011. Kenya's support carries weight because Nairobi hosts the stalled Tumaini peace talks with armed groups that rejected the 2018 peace deal.
