UPDATED: Egypt fully supports Sudan security, stability: El-Sisi to Sudanese PM - Foreign Affairs

Al-Ahram Weekly

4 days ago

​President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt's full support for all efforts aimed at achieving security and stability in Sudan and ending the current humanitarian suffering.
President El-Sisi made his remarks during a meeting on Thursday with Sudanese Transitional Prime Minister Kamil Idris.
He also emphasized Egypt's consistent stance on supporting Sudan's unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, according to a statement by Egypt's presidential spokesman.
Both leaders discussed efforts to resolve the Sudanese crisis and achieve the aspirations of the Sudanese people for peace and stability.
They also explored ways of cooperation between their countries in the field of reconstruction in Sudan.
Moreover, the meeting highlighted the developments in the strategic relations between both nations, discussing ways to enhance them in various fields to restore Sudan's stability and advance mutual development and prosperity.
Both sides also exchanged views on regional developments and stressed the importance of continued coordination and consultation between the two countries on all issues of mutual interest, the statement added.
According to a separate cabinet statement, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly welcomed Prime Minister Idris upon his arrival at Cairo International Airport on Thursday, marking the beginning of his official visit to Egypt.
The two prime ministers are expected to lead an expanded round of talks to address key bilateral issues and explore avenues for strengthening cooperation across multiple sectors.
Since April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in war after clashes erupted between the Sudanese national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Although the army regained control of Khartoum in May, the country continues to suffer under severe humanitarian conditions, with widespread hunger afflicting the majority of the population in Africa's third-largest nation.
The war, now entering its third year, has killed tens of thousands, displaced millions, and devastated Sudan's healthcare system.
The United Nations described the situation in Sudan as "the world's largest displacement and hunger crisis," with nearly 25 million Sudanese suffering dire food insecurity and over 10 million internally displaced across the country.
In a joint press conference with Idris, PM Madbouly emphasized that Sudan's stability is "a goal that we must all strive to achieve, given its utmost importance in preserving peace and security across the whole African continent."
He also stressed Egypt's commitment to providing all forms of support to the Sudanese people in Egypt. "Egypt opened its doors to the Sudanese not as a favour or obligation, but out of its sense of duty."
Egypt has become the primary destination for the Sudanese people fleeing the horrors of the ongoing war in Sudan.
In May, Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty stated that the total number of Sudanese residing in the country was 5.5 million, the largest portion of Sudanese who have fled their country since the outbreak of the war.
However, some Sudanese have recently returned home after the army regained Khartoum.
Nile River sustainability
Madbouly also highlighted the dispute caused by the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which has been of concern to upstream nations, Egypt and Sudan.
He affirmed Egypt's "complete rejection of the unilateral steps pursued by Ethiopia" and the necessity of adhering to the principles of international law.
"We affirm the necessity of enhancing cooperation among Nile Basin countries, based on the principles of international law, to preserve the sustainability of the Nile River — a vital resource that deserves the utmost attention from all of us," Madbouly said.
"The Nile River is not an exception among other rivers; the rules and principles we advocate must also apply to it," he said, emphasizing the importance of coordination, consultation, and careful study of all the projects on the river to avoid harm to any riparian state.
A joint statement issued following today's visit reaffirmed Egypt and Sudan's coordination through the Permanent Joint Technical Commission for Nile Waters (PJTC), responsible for formulating a unified position on Nile-related issues under the 1959 agreement.
Construction of the GERD began in 2011, sparking tensions between upstream Ethiopia and downstream Egypt and Sudan, both of which have demanded a legally binding agreement governing the dam's filling and operation.
Ethiopia has unilaterally filled the dam in five stages between 2020 and 2024 and plans to inaugurate it in September.
Cairo and Khartoum, while not opposed to Ethiopia's development aims, have repeatedly criticized Addis Ababa's unilateral actions.
Egypt-Sudan cooperation
Both ministers also discussed enhancing investment cooperation and explored opportunities for Egyptian companies in strategically important sectors in Sudan, particularly as the country enters the reconstruction phase.
In this context, they agreed to launch specialized training programmes for vocational and technical education in coordination with relevant Egyptian agencies to support Sudan's reconstruction efforts.
They also commended the progress in railway linkage and electric grid interconnection projects, which open broader prospects for economic and trade cooperation.
For his part, the Sudanese prime minister expressed Sudan's desire to upgrade cooperation in disease control, increase specialized Egyptian medical convoys, and implement programmes to build the capacities of Sudanese healthcare workers.
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