In an interview with Al Jazeera late on Saturday, on the sidelines of the African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa, Abdelatty said that any violation of Sudan’s sovereignty or the creation of parallel bodies to official institutions—particularly the Sovereignty Council and the national army—would trigger a “firm and strong” Egyptian response.

His remarks highlight mounting concern in Egypt over the trajectory of the war in Sudan, which officials say is directly affecting Egypt’s national security amid rising displacement and a worsening humanitarian crisis along the shared border.

“Egypt has been patient for a long time and cannot accept the continuation of this unacceptable situation indefinitely,” Abdelatty said, stressing that Sudan’s national security is inseparable from Egypt’s “and vice versa”.

He described the deepening displacement crisis and deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Sudan as highly sensitive issues that directly affect Egyptian national security.

This position is not a new one; a presidential statement during the visit of the Sudanese Transitional Sovereign Council Head, Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan, to Cairo in December reiterated the country's long-standing position on the Sudan crisis in six points and warned that breaches of red lines affecting Sudan’s unity and state institutions threaten Egypt’s national security, affirming its right to act under international law and a joint defence agreement.

Abdelatty said several factors are obstructing efforts to reach a final settlement, including the presence of mercenaries inside Sudan, the proliferation of militias, and the emergence of what he called illegitimate parallel frameworks alongside state institutions.

He stressed that Sudan’s national army and official institutions cannot be placed on equal footing with “illegitimate militias”, and called for the immediate withdrawal of all mercenaries from Sudanese territory, as well as an end to weapons flows and external support to armed groups.

The minister stated that he had discussed the situation with United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres, adding that ideas are being examined within that framework to help end the war. He expressed hope that the efforts would translate into concrete steps to halt what he described as an “ugly war” devastating Sudan.

AU backing for unity

At the African Union level, the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) adopted two statements on Thursday, reaffirming support for the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Sudan and Somalia following a ministerial session at the union's headquarters in Addis Ababa.

Abdelatty chaired the session under directives from President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, as Egypt holds the council’s rotating chairmanship for February.

Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s support for AU and council efforts on Sudan, condemned what he described as violations by armed militias and attempts to divide the country, and urged continued engagement with Sudan’s recognized leadership, including the Transitional Sovereignty Council and the government of Prime Minister Kamel Idris.

He reiterated Egypt’s backing for a comprehensive humanitarian truce leading to a permanent ceasefire and pointed to Cairo’s hosting of Sudanese dialogue initiatives in 2024 and early 2025.