As the war in Sudan enters its fourth year, civilians in the country are continuing to endure relentless attacks and grave human-rights violations. The healthcare system has collapsed, and famine has taken hold. Against this backdrop, Egypt has intensified its efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people and push for an end to the conflict.
Egypt’s approach to the conflict in Sudan, whether on the bilateral or multilateral level, is governed by a will to fully resolve the crisis and not merely deal with it through initiatives that focus on the security/military and humanitarian situation, explained Salah Halima, a former assistant to Egypt’s foreign minister.
“The Egyptian vision adds two other tracks: the political track, which aims to deal with the real causes of the conflict and resolve them, and the recovery track, which focuses on rebuilding the country,” Halima told Al-Ahram Weekly.
Egypt’s vision, he added, sets out red lines that cannot be crossed, namely preserving the unity and territorial integrity of Sudan and protecting its people.
The last two weeks have seen several meetings on Sudan at both the international and bilateral levels. During his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reiterated that Sudan’s stability is crucial for Egyptian as well as regional security.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the first Board of Peace meeting in Washington earlier this month.
Abdelatty highlighted Egypt’s full support for international and regional efforts to end the conflict in Sudan, pointing to the need for an immediate and sustainable humanitarian ceasefire and increased assistance for the badly hit Sudanese people.
He underlined Egypt’s firm opposition to any attempts to create parallel structures that could undermine Sudan’s unity, stressing the importance of preserving Sudanese state institutions and backing a comprehensive political settlement. The meeting also tackled security in other areas related to Sudan, namely Somalia, the Horn of Africa, and the Red Sea.
In another meeting held on the sidelines of a ministerial session of the United Nations Security Council in New York last week, Abdelatty also warned against any attempts to fragment Sudan, stressing Cairo’s support for the country’s unity.
The meeting brought together officials from several countries and international organisations, including UAE Minister of State Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Senior Adviser to the US President on Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos (who called the meeting), EU Special Representative for the Horn of Africa Annette Weber, and Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Abdulaziz Al-Wasil, alongside others.
Abdelatty again warned against efforts to establish parallel political structures in Sudan, saying such attempts contradict positions espoused by the African Union and the Arab League.
He commended international efforts to reach an immediate humanitarian truce and called for stepped-up diplomatic efforts to reach a political settlement that preserves Sudan’s unity and stability.
He also pinpointed the important role the EU can play in reaching a settlement and welcomed the Berlin conference due in April as an opportunity to garner international support for the Sudanese people.
Egypt’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ihab Awad, noted in his address to the Security Council session on Sudan last week that a neighbouring country is training and arming the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which are fighting the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in the current conflict, in camps in eastern Sudan.
This, he said, has allowed these militias to continue committing atrocities against unarmed civilians, including women and children, and to open a new front in the war in eastern Sudan.
Awad stressed the importance of the Security Council assuming its responsibilities in holding those involved accountable for the suffering of the Sudanese people. He also reiterated Cairo’s firm principles on the Sudanese crisis: preserving Sudan’s unity and territorial integrity; preventing the exploitation of its resources; and protecting its national institutions.
Egypt has also been keen to hold regular meetings with senior Sudanese officials. Abdelatty met his Sudanese counterpart Mohieddin Salem earlier this month, when their talks focused on boosting regional and international efforts to end the conflict, reaching a sustainable ceasefire, and preparing the ground for an inclusive, Sudanese-led political process.
While renewing Egypt’s condemnation of serious violations in Al-Fasher and Kordofan in Sudan, Abdelatty voiced full solidarity with the Sudanese people who are facing severe humanitarian challenges.
He highlighted the importance of regional and international efforts to secure a comprehensive ceasefire in Sudan, including through the international Quad mechanism that comprises Egypt, the US, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
The two ministers also attended a ceremony honouring an Egyptian medical team that took part in a humanitarian convoy visiting Sudan from 20 to 27 December 2025 as part of Egypt’s humanitarian support.
Egypt’s vision for the future of the Sudan, explained Halima, nearly coincides with that of the Quad.
“Egypt is seeking a three-month truce, during which the war will stop and humanitarian aid will be allowed into the country, followed by a nine-month truce. The second truce is supposed to see all-inclusive Sudanese talks that will lead to a civilian democratic regime through free and transparent elections,” he said.
The Quad’s vision, he elaborated, does not include the important track of early recovery and rebuilding the country.
With this vision in mind, Egypt’s efforts to resolve the crisis included hosting the Fifth Consultative Meeting on Enhancing the Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts for Sudan in January. The meeting worked to organise the positions of regional and international partners to reach a humanitarian truce leading to a lasting ceasefire.
Abdelatty emphasised in the meeting that Egypt’s position is set out clearly in the December presidential statement issued during the visit of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council President General Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan to Egypt.
This set out various red lines that “cannot be crossed or treated with any leniency, as this would directly undermine Egypt’s national security, which is closely linked to Sudan’s.”
Preserving Sudan’s unity and territorial integrity and safeguarding its resources and the capabilities of its people are among the key red lines, the statement added.
Egypt’s commitment to peace and stability in Sudan has also been reflected in practical initiatives, including the Sudan Neighbours Initiative launched in July 2023. The initiative called for an immediate ceasefire, inclusive political consultations, and sustainable humanitarian access.
The current war in Sudan began in April 2023 when conflict erupted between the SAF, led by Al-Burhan, and the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), following a power struggle.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 26 February, 2026 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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