Egypt, Sudan to start new phase in bilateral relations

Egypt and Sudan have agreed to work together to launch a new phase of bilateral relations, they announced in a joint statement released today.

The statement was made shortly after a meeting between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and his Sudanese counterpart Omar Al-Bashir in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa during the 28th General Assembly of the African Union, according to Egypt’s state run news agency MENA.

The meeting between the two leaders came against the backdrop of reports of growing tension over Sudan’s hosting of members of the Muslim Brotherhood and allowing Khartoum-based leaders of the group to hold internal elections for the movement’s advisory council.

Both presidents agreed to “work to launch a new phase of brotherly relations between the two countries…to bolster stability and achieve development and prosperity for both countries”, the joint statement said, according to MENA.

The two leaders said they would work towards bolstering cooperation in economic, political and security ties.

They reaffirmed the “unified objectives associated with the national security of both countries and joining hands to confront all challenges in the Arab, African and the Middle East region,” the statement added.

The statement noted that today’s meeting was part of the efforts by both countries to maintain communication and coordination at all regional and international events.

On his part, Sudan’s Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour said earlier today that both sides have recently intensified efforts to look into boosting bilateral ties.