Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi (R) and the US President Joe Biden (L). Photo: Egyptian Presidency
During a phone call, both presidents discussed the current regional situation and the efforts to restore regional stability, according to the Egyptian Presidential Spokesperson Ahmed Fahmy.
They also reviewed the outcomes of the negotiations held in the Qatari capital Doha over the past two days against the backdrop of the joint statement Egypt, Qatar, and the US issued on 9 August regarding reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
El-Sisi highlighted to his American counterpart Egypt's ongoing efforts and communications with various regional parties and its calls for de-escalation and self-restraint, given the seriousness of the situation in the Middle East, according to Fahmy.
Additionally, the Egyptian president stressed the need to respect states' sovereignty and avoid a destructive cycle of confrontations and violence in the region.
For his part, the US president commended the extent of ongoing and joint communication and coordination between Egypt and the US, which reflects the strong and deep strategic relationship between both countries.
Earlier Friday, Egypt, the US and Qatar announced in a joint statement that senior officials from the three countries will meet again in Cairo before the end of next week in a new round of talks in the hope of reaching a deal under the terms presented to Hamas and Israel in Doha.
“Over the past 48 hours in Doha, senior officials from our governments have engaged in intensive talks as mediators to reach an agreement for a ceasefire and the release of hostages and detainees,” the joint statement read.
The leaders of Egypt, the US, and Qatar, issued a joint statement on 9 August calling on Israel and Hamas to resume talks amid increasing fears of a regional war following the assassination of key Hamas and Hezbollah leaders.
Egypt, along with the US and Qatar, has been mediating indirect talks between Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire in the 10-month-old Israeli war in Gaza.
Since 7 October, Israel has killed and injured around 120,000 Palestinians, mostly children and women, damaged most of Gaza’s infrastructure, and displaced the majority of the population.
Sudan crisis
According to Fahmy, the call also touched on the situation in Sudan, where El-Sisi affirmed Egypt's stance on the Sudanese crisis and its keenness to reach an urgent ceasefire.
He also expressed Cairo's appreciation of all relevant initiatives to prevent the bloodshed of the Sudanese people and ensure Sudan's unity and territorial integrity.
Earlier Friday, Egypt, the US, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the African Union (AU), and the United Nations (UN) welcomed the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) decision to re-open the Adre border crossing.
In a joint statement on the Sudanese crisis, the parties considered this decision a crucial step towards saving lives and preventing the spread of famine. They looked forward to seeing the first convoys cross into Sudan soon.
The US-sponsored talks to address the Sudanese crisis commenced in Switzerland Wednesday without the Sudanese government.
The talks, co-hosted by Switzerland and Saudi Arabia, with Egypt, the UAE, the AU, and the UN acting as a steering group, aim to reach a ceasefire and improve humanitarian access in Sudan.
Previous negotiations in Jeddah have failed to put an end to the war.
Since April 2023, Sudan has been embroiled in a civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), resulting in more than 13,000 deaths and displacing more than 10 million people.
Egypt has since received thousands of Sudanese refugees fleeing the war and hosted several summits to address the Sudanese crisis.
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