Abdelatty made these remarks in a press conference on Wednesday with Sudan's newly appointed Foreign Minister Ali Youssef Ahmed Al-Sharif, marking their first official meeting in Cairo since Al-Sharif's appointment.

He congratulated Al-Sharif on his new role and the trust placed in him by the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, reaffirming Egypt's commitment to standing by Sudan and its people during this critical historical turning point.

Abdelatty also uncovered President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi's directives to strengthen bilateral relations, asserting that Sudan's national security is integral to Egypt's.

He added that developments in Sudan naturally impact Egypt due to the close ties between their peoples.

Egypt's top diplomat affirmed Egypt's commitment to providing various forms of support to Sudan, both at political and humanitarian levels.

Moreover, Abdelatty noted that Cairo hosted a conference for Sudanese civil and political forces in June as part of Egypt's efforts to promote peace and security in Sudan.

He also highlighted the successful visit of the African Union's Peace and Security Council to Port Sudan in early October, when Egypt held the council’s presidency.

Abdelatty stressed that Egypt is committed to offering comprehensive care to the Sudanese brothers who have arrived in large numbers since the crisis onset in 2023. 

As of 30 September, the number of Sudanese refugees registered with UNHCR Egypt reached 503,993.

Sudan’s civil war erupted in April 2023 after a conflict broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Since the onset of the conflict, the Sudanese government has been functioning from the eastern city of Port Sudan, which has mostly escaped violence.

Warm diplomatic exchange between the two ministers

Water security
 

Both foreign ministers affirmed that achieving water security is an existential matter for both countries that cannot be compromised.

Minister Abdelatty emphasized that Cairo and Khartoum concur on the importance of adhering to international law and unharming downstream countries.

On 31 October, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced the completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) filling, which has been of concern to Egypt and Sudan.

Over the past three years, Addis Ababa has unilaterally completed five fillings of the disputed dam and put two turbines into operation without agreement with downstream countries Egypt and Sudan.

For more than a decade of negotiations, Egypt and Sudan have sought a legally binding agreement to govern the filling and operation of the GERD and ensure their water security and dams' safety, along with Ethiopia's interests.

Egypt, which relies mainly on the Nile River for its water needs, fears that the GERD will harm its already scarce water supply.

The Nile provides approximately 97 percent of Egypt's water needs. The country has access to only 59.6 billion cubic metres annually out of the required 114 billion, which is a substantial deficit.