Amid an escalating civil conflict and deepening humanitarian crisis in Sudan, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of Sudan’s Sovereign Council, travelled to Cairo on Monday 28 April for high-level talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
The meeting focused on Egypt’s role in supporting post-war recovery and rebuilding efforts in Sudan, as well as military developments against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary group battling Sudan’s regular Army for over a year.
The visit marked Burhan’s latest attempt to shore up regional backing for his embattled administration.
Beyond military and humanitarian matters, the leaders turned their attention to strategic concerns over the Nile River, stressing mutual rejection of unilateral actions affecting water flow, particularly those linked to Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance Dam.
A joint statement issued at the end of talks reiterated both countries’ commitment to equitable and legal water sharing principles. As downstream nations, Sudan and Egypt have repeatedly raised concerns over Addis Ababa’s dam operations, which they view as a serious threat to water security, especially during times of internal instability.
As the war in Sudan rages on, killing tens of thousands and displacing millions, Egypt remains one of Burhan’s few consistent regional allies. While the Sudanese army has made gains around Khartoum, the wider humanitarian situation continues to spiral, prompting Cairo to position itself as both mediator and partner in Sudan’s eventual reconstruction. The outcomes of these talks are likely to influence not just the conflict’s trajectory, but also regional diplomacy across the Nile Basin and the Horn of Africa.