Cairo stated Egypt’s president may even focus on Pink Sea safety with Sudanese leaders throughout his go to to Khartoum.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi visited Sudan on Saturday for the primary time for the reason that overthrow of former President Omar al-Bashir, because the neighbours push to interrupt a diplomatic impasse over a large dam being constructed by Ethiopia.
El-Sisi was additionally because of focus on Pink Sea safety and developments on Sudan’s borders throughout his go to to Khartoum, Egypt’s presidency stated in an announcement.
Sudan faces safety challenges together with a rise in violence within the western Darfur area and up to date armed skirmishes in a disputed space on its border with Ethiopia.
Each Egypt and Sudan lie downstream from the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which Addis Ababa says is essential to its financial growth.
Ethiopia, which says it has each proper to make use of Nile waters lengthy exploited by Egypt, began filling the reservoir behind the dam final yr after Egypt and Sudan didn’t safe a legally binding settlement over the hydropower dam’s operation.
Khartoum fears the dam, which lies on the Blue Nile near the border with Sudan, may improve the danger of flooding and have an effect on the protected operation of its personal Nile dams, whereas water-scarce Egypt fears its provides from the Nile may very well be hit.
Years of diplomatic talks over the mission have repeatedly stalled.
Sudan lately proposed that the US, European Union, United Nations and African Union ought to actively mediate within the dispute, reasonably than merely observing talks, a suggestion that Egypt helps.
Ethiopia this week indicated its opposition to including mediators to an present, African Union-led course of.
In a telephone name with UN Secretary-Normal Antonio Guterres on Friday, Egyptian International Minister Sameh Shoukry “careworn the necessity to launch a critical and efficient negotiation course of” over the dam earlier than a second spherical of filling anticipated this summer time.
Since al-Bashir was toppled following mass protests in 2019, a military-civilian council has held energy in Sudan underneath a political transition anticipated to final till the top of 2023.
