Egyptian President Abdul Fattah El-Sisi and Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir agreed to activate all frameworks of cooperation between the two countries and invest the potential to achieve a model that meets the aspirations of both peoples and reflects the historical relations between them.
The agreement came during a summit held on the sidelines of the World Youth Forum in Sharm Sheikh, south of Sinai.
Egypt's presidential spokesman, Ambassador Bassam Rady, said that Sisi reiterated the importance of cooperation between both countries and the “strong and sincere desire to strengthen bilateral relations at various levels in a way that bolsters the historic ties between the two brotherly people."
Sisi stressed Egypt's keenness to coordinate stances with Sudan, praising the positive results of the meeting of the Egyptian-Sudanese Presidential Committee recently held in Khartoum.
For his part, Bashir expressed Sudan's deep appreciation for the leadership and people of Egypt, accentuating Sudan's willingness to maintain intensive consultations and activate all frameworks of joint cooperation between the two countries.
"The meeting between the two presidents also discussed means of enhancing the various aspects of bilateral relations, especially in the field of electricity and railway projects, as well as supporting economic cooperation and increasing the volume of trade exchange,” indicated the spokesperson. He also reported that both leaders exchanged views on the latest developments on a number of regional issues.
Sisi and Bashir also agreed to "continue and strengthen consultation and joint coordination to face current regional challenges in the Arab region and the African continent."
Sudan’s Ambassador to Egypt and Permanent Representative to the Arab League, Abdel Mahmoud Abdel Halim, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the World Youth Forum discussed several pressing issues, namely preparing future leaders, the role of world leaders in peace-building process, post-conflict and post-war issues, sustainable peace, Africa's development agenda, and humanitarian assistance in the face of challenges.
The Ambassador lauded the sessions on “Water security in the wake of climate change, Empowering persons with disabilities: Towards a more integrated world; Social Media: Saving or enslaving users?; Employment opportunities in the age of Artificial Intelligence; the role of entrepreneurs and start-ups in global economic growth; E-Sports and Games: An insight into the virtual world of electronic games; and the role of art and cinema in shaping societies.”