Egypt, Sudan discuss Nile, ties amid Sudan war

CAIRO — Egypt and Sudan discussed Nile River water rights and regional cooperation Thursday during a visit to Cairo by Sudanese Prime Minister Kamil al-Taib Idris, as Sudan continues to grapple with a devastating civil war.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi received Idris, who later appeared alongside Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly for a joint press briefing.

Madbouly reiterated Egypt’s "complete rejection of the unilateral steps that Ethiopia is taking about the Nile River," referring to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a long-standing point of contention between Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan.

Egypt has long warned that Ethiopia’s massive hydropower project would reduce its critical share of Nile River water — a lifeline for more than 100 million Egyptians and the country’s agriculture sector.

Last month, Cairo accused Ethiopia of lacking the political will to reach a binding agreement on the operation of the dam. Negotiations between the three countries have repeatedly stalled over the years.

Idris, on his first foreign trip since taking office, stated that there was “agreement” and “consensus” on the issues discussed, although he did not provide further details.

The visit comes as Sudan remains mired in a civil war that erupted in April 2023 between the country’s military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The conflict has triggered a severe humanitarian crisis, killing more than 40,000 people and displacing over 7 million internally, one of the world’s largest displacement emergencies. Another 1.5 million Sudanese have fled across the border into Egypt, the largest host country for Sudanese refugees.

Much of the capital, Khartoum, has been destroyed, including the presidential palace and the international airport. However, a slow return to life is underway, with some residents returning and markets reopening. Basic services like electricity and water remain unreliable in many areas.

Despite the ongoing crisis, both Egypt and Sudan emphasized the importance of continued cooperation, particularly around shared regional interests like the Nile.

GAROWE ONLINE