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.



Syria’s Al-Sharaa Says No to Arms Outside State Control

Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (C) arrives for a meeing with visiting Druze officials from Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) in Damascus on December 22, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (C) arrives for a meeing with visiting Druze officials from Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) in Damascus on December 22, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
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Syria’s Al-Sharaa Says No to Arms Outside State Control

Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (C) arrives for a meeing with visiting Druze officials from Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) in Damascus on December 22, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (C) arrives for a meeing with visiting Druze officials from Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) in Damascus on December 22, 2024. (Photo by AFP)

Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa said his administration would announce the new structure of the defense ministry and military within days.

In a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Sunday, al-Sharaa said that his administration would not allow for arms outside the control of the state.

An official source told Reuters on Saturday that Murhaf Abu Qasra, a leading figure in the insurgency that toppled Bashar al-Assad two weeks ago, had been named as defense minister in the interim government.
Sharaa did not mention the appointment of a new defense minister on Sunday.
Sharaa discussed the form military institutions would take during a meeting with armed factions on Saturday, state news agency SANA said.
Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir said last week that the defense ministry would be restructured using former opposition factions and officers who defected from Assad's army.

Earlier Sunday, Lebanon’s Druze leader Walid Jumblatt held talks with al-Sharaa in Damascus.

Jumblatt expressed hope that Lebanese-Syrian relations “will return to normal.”

“Syria was a source of concern and disturbance, and its interference in Lebanese affairs was negative,” al-Sharaa said, referring to the Assad government. “Syria will no longer be a case of negative interference in Lebanon," he added.