Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry congratulated Mariam Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi, the new foreign minister in the new Sudanese cabinet, on assuming the post, inviting her to visit Cairo at the earliest opportunity.

In a phone call on Wednesday, Shoukry affirmed to Al-Mahdi Egypt’s keenness to enhance bilateral relations with Sudan and to intensify coordination to achieve foster constructive strategic cooperation tying the two countries, a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said.

Meanwhile, Al-Mahdi expressed to Shoukry deep appreciation to Egypt and expressed her aspiration to continue joint work with the neighboring country to achieve stronger bilateral relations.

Al-Mahdi also stressed to the Egyptian foreign minister that enhancing bilateral relations with Egypt during the coming period represents a priority to Sudan.

Shoukry urged in the phone call building on the strong bilateral relations between the two countries to move to further horizons of partnership and cooperation that serve the peoples of the two countries and enhance the historic official and popular ties between the two countries, according to the statement.

Shoukry also wished Sudan and the Sudanese people permanent progress, prosperity and development.

In recent years, Egypt and Sudan have voiced similar concerns in the ongoing dispute with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Both countries have repeatedly affirmed that a reaching a binding legal agreement on the filling and operation of the GERD between all three countries is the only way out of the current stalemate in negotiations.