Egypt, Chad Agree on Backing Efforts to Achieve Ceasefire in Sudan

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi received on Tuesday Chad President Mahamat Idriss Déby in New Alamein City (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi received on Tuesday Chad President Mahamat Idriss Déby in New Alamein City (Egyptian Presidency)
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Egypt, Chad Agree on Backing Efforts to Achieve Ceasefire in Sudan

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi received on Tuesday Chad President Mahamat Idriss Déby in New Alamein City (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi received on Tuesday Chad President Mahamat Idriss Déby in New Alamein City (Egyptian Presidency)

Egypt and Chad on Tuesday agreed on the necessity of supporting efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Sudan where the people suffer from an ongoing conflict and an exacerbating humanitarian crisis that requires urgent intervention.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi received Chad President Mahamat Idriss Déby in New Alamein City where the two leaders discussed bilateral relations and regional developments, according to a statement by the Egyptian Presidency.
Sisi emphasized the deep and longstanding historical relations between the two countries and their peoples.
He then reiterated Egypt's commitment to providing full support to Chad across various fields, including the transfer and sharing of Egyptian expertise in building the capacities of Chad in different developmental sectors such as energy, infrastructure, health, education, agriculture, and livestock.
This is in addition to cooperating in the areas of security and counter-terrorism, in light of Egypt’s keenness to ensure Chad’s security and stability.
For his part, Déby highlighted a mutual will to achieve significant advancement in bilateral cooperation across sectors.
He also valued the role of active Egyptian institutions and companies in Chad, particularly in supporting Chadian educational and cultural processes, infrastructure projects, and the activities of Al-Azhar mission in Chad.
The two presidents agreed to activate the work of the joint committee between the two countries to implement the agreed-upon matters and to accelerate the implementation of joint cooperation projects in a manner that serves the interests of both countries.
The meeting covered a number of African matters of mutual interest, notably the developments in Sudan, security in the Sahel region, and the enhancement of coordination regarding the role of the Community of Sahel–Saharan States.

“The two leaders agreed on the necessity of supporting efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Sudan, so as to uphold the higher interests of the Sudanese people, who are suffering from the ongoing conflict and the exacerbation of the humanitarian crisis that requires urgent intervention,” Presidential spokesman Ahmed Fahmy said.
They also affirmed their countries' support for all efforts to achieve stability in Libya and to bolster security in the Sahel region in confronting the continuing terrorist threats, Fahmy added.

 



Blinken Says US Not Involved in Killing of Hamas Leader

FILE PHOTO: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, May 21, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, May 21, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo
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Blinken Says US Not Involved in Killing of Hamas Leader

FILE PHOTO: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, May 21, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, May 21, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday the United States was not involved in the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, and reiterated the importance of a ceasefire in Gaza.

"This is something we were not aware of or involved in. It's very hard to speculate," Blinken said in an interview with Channel News Asia during a visit to Singapore, Reuters reported.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards confirmed Haniyeh's death, hours after he attended a swearing-in ceremony for the country's new president.

Haniyeh, who leads the Palestinian militant group and is normally based in Qatar, has been the face of Hamas's international diplomacy as the war set off by the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7 has raged in Gaza.

"I've learned over many years never to speculate on the impact one event may have on something else," Blinken said when asked what impact Haniyeh's death might have on the war.

The assassination, less than 24 hours after Israel claimed to have killed a Hezbollah commander it said was behind a deadly strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, could be a major setback for chances of a ceasefire agreement in the 10-month-old war.

Blinken, who has been in Asia since late last week, said a ceasefire and the release of hostages being held in Gaza was crucial and the United States would do everything to make that happen.

"It's vitally important to hopefully put things on a better path for more enduring peace and more enduring security, so that focus remains."