Egypt’s Sisi, Sudan’s al-Burhan discuss conflict, regional diplomacy

October 4, 2026 (CAIRO) – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in Cairo on Sunday to discuss efforts to resolve Sudan’s ongoing conflict and bolster regional ties.

Burhan arrived in Egypt ahead of a consultative summit with the leaders of Egypt, Somalia, and Eritrea in the coastal city of El Alamein, held on the sidelines of an African Union coordination meeting, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.

Egyptian presidential spokesperson Mohamed El-Shennawy said Sisi reiterated Cairo’s backing for Sudan’s sovereignty and state institutions, emphasizing Egypt’s commitment to diplomatic efforts aimed at reaching a political settlement and ending the war.

Burhan expressed appreciation for Cairo’s political and humanitarian support, including hosting hundreds of thousands of Sudanese displaced by the fighting, according to the statement.

Burhan also insisted that the international community must not equate Sudan’s official state institutions with what he described as “rebel militias or parallel entities,” referencing the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The war between the Sudanese armed forces and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023, has devastated the country’s infrastructure, triggered widespread famine warnings, and driven international efforts to broker a durable ceasefire.