Tuesday 3, Dec,2024 {HMC}  Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki denied allegations that the recent trilateral meeting between Eritrea, Egypt, and Somalia was part of an “axis” designed to undermine Ethiopia. During a national television interview on Saturday evening, Afwerki addressed growing speculation about the October meeting held in Asmara, Eritrea’s capital.

The president condemned what he called “disinformation campaigns” spread by foreign forces and activists through various media platforms, warning that such narratives could potentially escalate regional tensions. He emphasized that the gathering was not intended to create a hostile coalition against any country, including Ethiopia.

“This claim does not arise from genuine concern for Ethiopia,” the president stated, adding that the agreement between the three countries was primarily focused on promoting regional stability.

“Eritrea’s main interest is stability and cooperation across the Horn of Africa, the Nile Basin, and the Red Sea area,” he added. “Eritrea has absolutely no intention of seeing Ethiopia plunged into instability,” Isaias said, emphasizing that regional agreements will help address mistrust and yield positive outcomes.

Isaias argued that Ethiopia’s constitution dating from 1994 is fundamentally flawed, describing it as “a source of tension and does not promote nation-building.” He warned that unless Ethiopia resolves its internal conflicts, the country cannot contribute positively to regional stability, cooperation, and tolerance.

Isaias pointed to the prolonged Ethiopian-Eritrean conflict, which spanned nearly two decades, as a direct consequence of Ethiopia’s constitutional policies. He further attributed the border clashes between the two countries to the interference of foreign forces but did not name which countries he meant.

“After the arrival of a new administration [Abiy Ahmed’s government] in Ethiopia, Isaias said, “the war’s outbreak should be understood within this context,” referring to the Tigray conflict.

Isaias accused the TPLF of rejecting Ethiopia’s new administration and launching over 70 rocket strikes against Eritrea, stating that the group ignored Eritrea’s warnings to cease such attacks.

The president stated that following the Pretoria peace agreement, a new conflict erupted in the Amhara region. He stated that he would not accept the blame directed at his government and reiterated his commitment to avoiding involvement in any bloody war.

Tuesday 3, Dec,2024 {HMC}  Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby has defended his decision to break military ties with France, saying at a news conference Sunday that their defense pact no longer meets Chad’s security needs.

The decision requires France to withdraw its troops from the central African nation and echoes growing anti-French sentiment with civil society groups who say it is long overdue.

Deby said military ties with France that have existed for close to 65 years are in no way helping to rescue Chad from what he calls growing security challenges, including terrorism and armed conflicts.

In a Sunday broadcast on state TV, Deby said his decision to end cooperation agreements with the French military is part of a promise he made during his May 23 inauguration, ending three years of military transition.

In the message, Deby said he would build reciprocal relations only with friendly nations that respect each other’s independence and sovereignty and assist each other in times of crisis. Deby promised to stop ties with countries he said behaved as if Chad had remained their colony.

The central African state first announced that it was ending military ties with France last week. The announcement came after French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot visited Chad and was told that Chad’s military is strong enough to protect civilians and their property, according to government officials.

Last Friday, the French foreign ministry said it had taken note of Chad’s decision to end the military agreement with Paris, but gave no further details.

Deby’s decision has reignited debates on what civil society and opposition groups call France’s overbearing influence provoking tensions in several African countries, especially Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Niger and Senegal. Mamadou Doudet, coordinator of Chad’s Patriotic Movement, an opposition political party, said he was part of several dozen civil society organizations and opposition parties that met in Chad’s capital, N’Djamena, on Monday to ask Deby to order the departure of over a thousand French troops stationed in Chad.

Doudet said the presence of French troops in Chad is of no use. He said Chad’s civil society and opposition find it very difficult to understand why French troops did not assist Chad last month when Boko Haram attacked and killed 40 Chadian soldiers in a military garrison in Lake Chad shared by Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria and Niger.

It is not the first time Chadian civil society and opposition groups sought the expulsion of French troops. In November 2023, the groups said Deby should ensure some 1,000 French troops stationed in Chad and several thousand others expelled from Niger should leave Chad before the end of 2023. Yet, close to 1,000 French troops remain in Chad.

On Monday, the Concertation Group of Chad’s Political Actors, or GCAP, condemned Deby’s decision to end military cooperation with France.

GCAP spokesperson Max Kemkoye said Chad’s military is not strong enough to handle the many security challenges facing the country. He accused Deby of not consulting his government before making the decision, a claim VOA could not independently verify.