Shoukry, Lavrov Meet in Moscow, Discuss Cooperation, Int’l Developments

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry shake hands during a news conference following their talks in Moscow, Russia, January 31, 2023. (Reuters)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry shake hands during a news conference following their talks in Moscow, Russia, January 31, 2023. (Reuters)
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Shoukry, Lavrov Meet in Moscow, Discuss Cooperation, Int’l Developments

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry shake hands during a news conference following their talks in Moscow, Russia, January 31, 2023. (Reuters)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry shake hands during a news conference following their talks in Moscow, Russia, January 31, 2023. (Reuters)

Egypt and Russia stressed on Tuesday the importance of developing bilateral relations between their countries at all levels.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov welcomed his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry in Moscow for talks on regional and international issues, notably the Ukrainian crisis.

At a joint press conference, Shoukry said the talks focused on the common goal of developing Egyptian-Russian relations for the best interests of their people and achieving economic growth.

He said their discussions tackled regional and international affairs, including the developments in the Palestinian territories, Libya and Syria.

For his part, Lavrov said: “Views were exchanged on regional and international issues, and an emphasis was placed on the need to continue close cooperation at the United Nations and other international arenas.”

On Ukraine, he stated that the Russian army had taken all necessary measures to prevent the West from achieving their plans in Ukraine.

He added that Moscow was open to serious proposals for a full and comprehensive settlement to the conflict.

Moreover, he revealed that Shoukry delivered to him a message from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the issue, stressing that Russia was currently assessing Egypt’s “balanced” approach to the war in Ukraine.

The message, he revealed, urged Russia to “stop its actions in Ukraine in order for negotiations to succeed.”

Shoukry stressed that Egypt, along with the whole international community, are keen on seeing an end to the war in Ukraine.

Egypt has been exerting political and diplomatic efforts to help end the conflict in a way that meets the interests of all parties, added the FM.

Blinken had met with Shoukry on Monday during a visit to Cairo.

On regional developments, Shoukry said Cairo was coordinating with Moscow to advance the settlement in the Palestinian territories and work towards implementing the two-state solution.



UN Seeks $4.2 Billion to Face Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan

Sudanese refugees in Chad on October 6, 2024 (AP)
Sudanese refugees in Chad on October 6, 2024 (AP)
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UN Seeks $4.2 Billion to Face Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan

Sudanese refugees in Chad on October 6, 2024 (AP)
Sudanese refugees in Chad on October 6, 2024 (AP)

The United Nations has launched the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP), seeking $4.2 billion to address the urgent needs of nearly 21 million vulnerable people whom the international community is failing to adequately support.

Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan (OCHA), emphasized that the humanitarian crisis in Sudan has reached unprecedented levels.

“The humanitarian crisis in Sudan has reached unprecedented proportions, with more than half of the population in need of urgent humanitarian and protection assistance, including 16 million children - the future of this country,” she said.

Salami added that acute food insecurity has reached historic levels, particularly in conflict-affected regions of Darfur, Khartoum, and Kordofan.

After over 20 months of conflict, Sudan has become one of the world's largest humanitarian emergencies.

Ongoing armed conflict and attacks against civilians, displacement, hunger, malnutrition, disease outbreaks, and climate shocks have left nearly two-thirds of the population in desperate need of humanitarian assistance and protection services.

Salami said given the scale and gravity of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, the humanitarian community calls for urgent conflict de-escalation and unrestricted humanitarian access, including across borders and conflict lines, to fight famine and enable effective humanitarian action.

“We call on all parties to facilitate this access and ensure the protection of humanitarian operations and aid workers on the ground,” she said.

“We also urge the international community to provide immediate and flexible funding.”

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator added that this support is crucial for scaling up and expanding the reach of critical lifesaving aid, including cash assistance, and protection services to millions of people who need them most.

According to Salami’s statement, the 2025 HNRP is underpinned by a joint analysis of humanitarian needs in Sudan based on three key shocks – conflict, floods, and disease outbreaks – and their impact on the population and essential services.

The analysis encompasses the entire country, recognizing the widespread impact of these three identified shocks affecting a significant portion of the population in Sudan, although the severity of impact varies across different geographic areas.

An earlier OCHA statement said the humanitarian appeal for Sudan is significantly underfunded, with only $1.5 billion of the required $2.7 billion received.

The Sudanese government, which has Port Sudan as its temporary capital, denies there is a famine in Sudan.

Army Commander Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said that the Sudanese government had met all humanitarian needs and facilitated aid delivery.

In a televised address marking Sudan’s 69th Independence Day, Burhan said that “what is being circulated about famine is pure fabrication and intended to interfere in Sudanese affairs.”

According to Sudanese organizations, 28.9 million people in Sudan need humanitarian assistance due to the ongoing civil war.

A staggering 30.4 million people in Sudan - approximately 64% of the population - are in need of humanitarian assistance humanitarian assistance in 2025, according to the latest OCHA report.