Egypt’s Sisi to visit Sudan in October amid tensions

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will visit Khartoum in October to seal several bilateral deals, Sudan’s foreign minister said on Tuesday during a visit to Cairo, at a time of fraught relations between the neighbours.

Sudan banned the import of Egyptian farm produce last year over alleged use of pesticides and is in a longstanding dispute over contested territory claimed by Sudan but which Cairo says is Egyptian.

For its part, Egypt fears Sudan will support Ethiopia in its bid to quickly fill a reservoir behind the mega-hydroelectric dam it is constructing on the Nile. Cairo is concerned the dam could wreak havoc on its sensitive water supply but Sudan has supported it because of its need for electricity.

“(Sisi’s) visit will be to partake in the (bilateral) high joint committee and there are a lot of agreements that will be completed,” Al-Dirdiri Mohamed said. He did not give a date for the visit or details of agreements that may be signed.