Bashir says some parties seek to reproduce “Arab Spring” in Sudan
January 27, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir on Sunday has accused unnamed parties of exaggerating Sudan’s protests and seeking to reproduce the “Arab Spring” in his country.
Sudan’s embattled president is facing protests that erupted on 19 December 2019 decrying worsening economic conditions and demanding that he step down.
On Sunday, al-Bashir travelled to Egypt on a one-day work visit and met with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel-Fatah al-Sisi.
Speaking at a joint press conference with al-Sisi following their meeting, al-Bashir acknowledged that his country is facing a problem, saying however it is not as big as described by some media platforms.
He accused unnamed organisations of seeking to destabilize security in the region, saying he briefed al-Sisi on the true situation in Sudan.
Al-Bashir pointed out to the recent visit of a senior Egyptian delegation to Sudan, describing the visit as “important message” stressing Egypt’s support to Sudan’s stability.
He stressed that Sudan and Egypt share the same fate, pointing out that bilateral relations between the two countries have been stable and growing since al-Sisi came to power.
For his part, al-Sisi welcomed the Sudanese president in Egypt, saying the visit reflects the deepness of joint relations between the peoples of the two countries.
He pointed out that they discussed ways to enhance trade cooperation and joint projects between the two countries including the electrical linkage project.
According to al-Sisi, the meeting also discussed the situation in the Horn of Africa as well as the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam, pointing to full coordination between the sides to serve the joint interests of the two brotherly peoples.
Following al-Bashir’s return from Cairo, Minister of Foreign Affairs El-Dirdeiry Mohamed Ahmed told reporters at Khartoum airport that the visit comes within the framework of the strategic partnership and discussed the implementation of a number of projects agreed recently.
Dirdeiry added that consultations were, also, held on various issues of common concern in the Arab-African region.
Furthermore, the visiting Sudanese president e briefed the Egyptian president on Sudan’s initiative on the Central African Republic and the progress made in the past two days, the minister said.
Relations between Sudan and Egypt experienced in December 2017 a new crisis over media attacks against President Omer al-Bashir after a visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Sudan. Also, Sudan accused Egypt and Eritrea of supporting rebel groups to attack Kassala State on the eastern border.
However, the two countries recently developed joint security cooperation against the opposition groups from both sides.
The main differences between the two neighbours remain the dispute over the border triangle area of Halayeb and the construction of Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam that Sudan backs.
(ST)