Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has discussed with South Sudan’s Acting Foreign Minister, Deng Dau, efforts to promote and support a permanent ceasefire in Sudan.
In a telephone call, Shoukry and Dau reviewed the efforts the two sides exert towards reaching a permanent ceasefire in Sudan, based on the Egyptian-South Sudanese initiative that was agreed upon during the phone call of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and President Salva Kiir on April 16.
During the call, Shoukry emphasized that Egypt and South Sudan are among the most affected by the ongoing conflict in Sudan, especially that they share long borders with Sudan, according to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid.
“The FM also stressed that the interests of the brotherly Sudanese people remain the primary concern and goal behind the two countries' efforts,” the spokesperson added.
Both sides agreed to intensify communication and coordination in the coming period.
Meanwhile, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry updated the list of assembly points where Egyptian citizens are evacuated from Sudan. It said the new assembly points are the Egyptian Consulate General in Port Sudan and the border crossings of Qastal and Arqin.
The Ministry announced the end of the evacuations from the Wadi Seidna Air Base, north of Khartoum, for security reasons.
It called upon those who are currently in the base to leave as early as possible and to head to one of the three following areas: the Egyptian Consulate in Port Sudan and the Qastal and Arqin border crossings.
On Friday, Abu Zaid said in a statement that 454 Egyptian nationals were evacuated.
A total of 1,072 Egyptians returned to Egypt from Sudan on Friday, bringing the figure to 6,399 since the beginning of the crisis in the southern neighbor.
He said Egypt operated four flights on April 28 as part of the ongoing airlift operation to transport Egyptian nationals from Sudan.
