Egypt stresses necessity to avoid foreign interference in Sudan conflict

CAIRO – 24 April 2023: Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry has reiterated the necessity to avoid any interference by any foreign parties in Sudan in a way that would fuel the ongoing conflict, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

In a phone call with this Canadian counterpart, Mélanie Joly, on Monday, Shoukry reviewed Egypt’s efforts to consolidate the ceasefire in Sudan and communications with the regional and international actors in this regard to coordinate and unify the messages sent to the Sudanese parties.

Joly, for her part, expressed her deep concerns over the deteriorating security situations in Sudan and expressed aspiration to learn about the Egyptian side’s evaluation of the situation in Sudan and the Egyptian efforts that aim at reaching a ceasefire.

Egypt, Sudan’s northern neighbor, has been pushing for a sustainable ceasefire in the Sudanese lands as a deadly conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has killed more than 400 people and injured thousands others after entering its second week.

Egypt also has around 10,000 citizens in Sudan, including 5,000 students, according to earlier statements by Egyptian Minister of Immigration Soha Gendy.

On Sunday, Egypt evacuated 436 expatriates from Sudan as part of a voluntary evacuation plan by land through the Arqin border crossing between the two countries.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry has asked Egyptian expats in Sudan who reside outside Khartoum to head to the Egyptian consulates in Port Sudan or Wadi Halfa in preparation for evacuation.

However, the ministry advised the nationals inside Khartoum to stay indoors away from areas of conflict.