Egypt, US discuss Sudan crisis, efforts for political settlement

By Omer Asur Cuhadar and Sahin Demir

ISTANBUL (AA) - Top officials from Egypt and the US discussed developments in Sudan and efforts to reach a comprehensive political settlement to end the country’s conflict, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

The discussions between Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Massad Boulos, US President Donald Trump’s senior adviser for Arab and African affairs, took place during a call on Wednesday as part of consultations and coordination between Cairo and Washington on regional issues of mutual concern, it said in a statement.

Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s support for Sudan’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, stressing the need to preserve its national institutions.

He also emphasized the need to intensify regional and international efforts to achieve a comprehensive political settlement that ends the crisis and meets the Sudanese people’s aspirations for security and stability.

Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been at war since April 2023, stemming from disagreements about integrating the two forces. The fighting has killed tens of thousands and displaced 13 million, amid worsening famine and a humanitarian crisis.

The two officials also discussed developments in Libya and ways to advance the political process and end the country’s divisions.

Abdelatty stressed the importance of preserving Libya’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, while supporting the unification of its national institutions.

He urged coordinated regional and international efforts to help Libyan parties reach a comprehensive and sustainable political settlement through a Libyan-led and Libyan-owned process.

The discussions also addressed maritime boundary delimitation under international law, particularly the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, according to the statement, without providing details.

Libya remains divided between two rival administrations: the internationally recognized Government of National Unity, led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh in Tripoli, which controls western Libya, and a government appointed by the House of Representatives in early 2022, headed by Osama Hammad in Benghazi, which controls eastern Libya and much of the south.

The UN has facilitated talks among Libyan parties to establish a consensual constitutional framework for simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections, aimed at ending the transitional period and unifying state institutions.

Şahin Demir