Egypt steps up support to Sudan ahead of Nile dam third filling

Egypt recently announced that it sent “aid packages and logistical and humanitarian support to Sudan” at the conclusion of a surprise visit by Sudanese leader Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to Cairo.

The visit of Burhan, the head of the Sudanese military and chairman of the Sudanese Sovereign Council, follows a series of trips he made to several Arab and African capitals over the past days. Several Sudanese envoys were also dispatched to African countries, most recently Sovereign Council member Ibrahim Jaber, who visited Rwanda on March 31.

Negotiations on the GERD between Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan are still on hold. The third filling is scheduled for July.

During a press conference in Cairo, Sisi and Burhan announced that Egypt and Sudan have agreed to continue mutual coordination regarding the GERD developments. 

They reiterated that water is a national security issue for the two peoples, and said that the two countries are seeking a fair, legal, and binding agreement for filling and operating the dam. 

Sisi also stressed the need for joint action so that “the current developments on the international scene do not affect efforts to help Sudan achieve political, security and economic stability.”