Egypt, Turkey express support to Sudanese government
December 27, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – Egyptian government and Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party ) on Thursday expressed their support to the government of President Omer al-Bashir which is facing growing popular discontent over economic hardships.
President al-Bashir on Thursday met with the visiting Egyptian Foreign Minister and the head of Egyptian intelligence service who were in Khartoum for talks with their Sudanese counterpart over bilateral relations.
The longtime scheduled visit coincided with the popular protests across Sudan over the difficult living conditions and calls to overthrow the regime of President al-Bashir who is ruling the country nearly 30 years ago.
Following the meeting, Sameh Shoukry told reporters he handed over a message from President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to his Sudanese counterpart stressing the importance of supporting bilateral relations and stability in the two countries through the activation of all frameworks of cooperation and coordination.
“This is an essential matter because we feel that stability in Sudan is directly affecting Egypt’s stability and Egypt’s stability also directly affects the stability of Sudan,” Shoukry stressed.
The Egyptian minister further said that his country “is confident that Sudan will overcome the current circumstances,” stressing that Egypt is “always ready to provide support to Sudan in accordance with the vision of the Sudanese government and its policies.”
Sudan and Egypt developed this year strong security and political cooperation after accusations in January 2018 of support to Eritrean-backed rebels to carry out attacks in eastern Sudan.
In Angara the Turkey’s ruling AK Party voiced its government support to the government of President Omer al-Bashir.
“We are aware of the recent ploys against Sudan,” Cevdet Yilmaz, deputy chairperson of AK party, said during a meeting with the Sudanese ambassador in Ankara on Wednesday.
“We support the legitimate government of Sudan. Turkey has faced similar ploys many times,” he further added.
Ankara is confident that the Sudanese government is sensitive to the demands of the Sudanese people and works to avoid violence, he added.
Last Saturday, the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani phoned President al-Bashir to express his support for Sudan and added that his country was ready to all that was necessary to “help Sudan overcome this ordeal”.
Sudanese opposition forces are calling to extend the protests and to announce general disobedience in the country after the success of Tuesday protests organised by the professional unions.
Also, the armed groups in Darfur and the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states announced their support to the peaceful protests stressing that the peaceful mass protests are able to protect themselves from the violence of the regime’s militias.
(ST)