Cairo Intensifies Consultations to Achieve Stability in Sudan

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi arrives in Zambia as part of an African tour. (Facebook/Spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi arrives in Zambia as part of an African tour. (Facebook/Spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency)
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Cairo Intensifies Consultations to Achieve Stability in Sudan

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi arrives in Zambia as part of an African tour. (Facebook/Spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi arrives in Zambia as part of an African tour. (Facebook/Spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency)

Egypt has intensified its efforts aiming at resolving the crisis in Sudan.

“Egypt is assuming its responsibilities as a direct neighboring country by making all endeavors, with the active parties and international partners, and engaging in existing mechanisms to ensure coordination between them in order to reach a secure and stable Sudan,” Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi stressed on Thursday.

His comments came at the 22nd Summit of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa in Zambia.

Sisi added that Egypt continues to host the Sudanese and called on all countries to provide the necessary support to them in this “delicate historical moment.”

During a meeting with his Angolan counterpart Joao Lourenço on Wednesday in Luanda, Sisi noted that the conflict in Sudan impacted Egypt. “During the past eight weeks, around 200,000 Sudanese were displaced to the Sudanese borders,” according to the Egyptian President.

Since the start of the war in Sudan, Egypt has engaged in intensive calls with relevant parties in an attempt to resolve the crisis. Egypt constantly reiterates that it exerts relentless efforts to pave the way for a peaceful dialogue.

In early June, Egypt and Qatar announced an initiative to provide support to the Sudanese people.

Advancing economic integration in Africa is key to achieving peace and security on the continent, Sisi said.

“Egypt has assumed the leadership of the COMESA over the past two years, during a very delicate period that witnessed important developments at the international and regional levels.”

The President highlighted the challenges facing the African countries to sustain peace and security.

“Such challenges require countries to adhere to a number of principles, especially the need to respect the right of all peoples of African States to life and to settle disputes, conflicts, and issues that threaten this right,” he stressed.

Preserving any country's national institutions is paramount as they represent its "backbone of stability and security," Sisi added.

“Now, after the end of Egypt's chairmanship of the COMESA, I reiterate my pledge to you to continue to work in coordination with all our brothers towards the implementation of the objectives of the African Development Agenda 2063, particularly with Egypt assuming the chairmanship of the African Union Development Agency, NEPAD, over the next two years,” the President added.

The President announced Egypt's candidacy to the African and Peace Security Council for 2024-2026, stemming from its belief that it has a role to play in supporting peace and security in the continent.



Iraqi PM Rejects Foreign Calls to Dismantle PMF

Iraqi PM Mohammed Shia al-Sudani receives Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto and his accompanying delegation in Baghdad on Saturday. (Iraqi prime minister’s office)
Iraqi PM Mohammed Shia al-Sudani receives Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto and his accompanying delegation in Baghdad on Saturday. (Iraqi prime minister’s office)
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Iraqi PM Rejects Foreign Calls to Dismantle PMF

Iraqi PM Mohammed Shia al-Sudani receives Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto and his accompanying delegation in Baghdad on Saturday. (Iraqi prime minister’s office)
Iraqi PM Mohammed Shia al-Sudani receives Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto and his accompanying delegation in Baghdad on Saturday. (Iraqi prime minister’s office)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani stressed his rejection of “foreign dictates or pressure” calling for the dismantling of the pro-Iran Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).

Speaking to state television, he said the PMF was turned into a state institution according to a 2014 law that was ratified by parliament.

“It is unacceptable to make demands and impose conditions on Iraq, especially when it comes to dismantling the PMF,” he declared.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had stirred controversy during a meeting with Sudani earlier this month when he called for dismantling the PMF and other armed factions.

Meanwhile, the Iraqi security and defense committee urged the recruitment of more soldiers to the army as Baghdad warily eyes the developments in Syria in wake of the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Iraq is bracing for a possible fallout from the ouster on its own country, especially with the possibility of the reemergence of the ISIS terrorist group.

The Defense Ministry is in need of 25,000 to 30,000 recruits, said the security and defense committee, noting that no new members have been recruited since 2017.

Sudani said his government was assessing the situation in neighboring Syria and will take the necessary measures as developments unfold there.

He stressed the need to help the Syrian people run their country’s affairs without any foreign meddling or infringement on Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.