Egyptian FM in Sudan amid ongoing bilateral tensions

By Mohammed Amin

KHARTOUM (AA) - Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri is now in Sudan for talks with Sudanese officials amid ongoing diplomatic tensions between the two African neighbors.

Sudanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Garib Allah al-Khidir told Anadolu Agency that the Egyptian FM had arrived in Sudanese capital Khartoum late Wednesday evening where he was received by Sudanese counterpart Ibrahim Ghandour.

According to al-Khidir, the two men planned to discuss a raft of issues raised recently by a joint Egypt-Sudan political consultation committee.

Those issues likely include hostile media campaigns the two countries are currently waging against one another and the sought-for activation of an earlier “Four Freedoms Agreement” regulating movement between Egypt and Sudan.

They also likely include several issues related to bilateral trade, particularly in light of Khartoum’s recent decision to ban a number of Egyptian imports.

In a recent escalation, Sudanese officials called on Cairo to halt what they described as “military provocations” in the Halaib Triangle region, a territory that has long been disputed between the two neighbors.

In May, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir went so far as to directly accuse Egypt of arming and supporting anti-government rebels in Sudan’s Darfur region -- allegations Cairo denies.