Tension has risen between Somalia and Ethiopia over the Red Sea port of Berbera CAIRO: Egypt has stressed the need for countries to respect Somalia’s sovereignty to ensure regional stability and security. In a statement on Thursday, the Foreign Ministry “acknowledged the seriousness of the escalating movements, actions, and official statements issued by countries within and outside the region, which undermine the stability in the Horn of Africa region and intensify tensions among its nations.” Cairo said all nations on the continent must abide by African Union resolutions with regard to the respect for borders. The Foreign Ministry’s statement comes a day after President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received a phone call from Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Somalia vowed on Tuesday to defend its territory and recalled its ambassador to Ethiopia after Addis Ababa struck a controversial deal with the breakaway region of Somaliland. The memorandum of understanding signed by Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somaliland leader Muse Bihi Abdi gives Ethiopia access to the Red Sea port of Berbera.