Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met with South Sudan’s armed opposition leader Riek Machar in Cairo on Tuesday, a senior official at the presidency said.

Ambassador Alaa Yusuf, the spokesman for the presidency, told reporters that President al-Sisi and Riek Machar discussed issues pertaining to peace implementation in South Sudan.

He further said Machar praised efforts exerted by Egypt to achieve peace in South Sudan. The official added that Egypt helped the warring parties in reaching understandings to enter a new phase to achieve peace, economic and social development in South Sudan.

Yusuf pointed out that President al-Sisi stressed Egypt's support for all efforts to restore peace and stability to the Republic of South Sudan, al-Bwaba news reported. He also pointed to special relations between the two countries and things in common shared by South Sudan and Egypt.

Yusuf also emphasised that Egypt supports efforts for national consensus efforts, saying it will continue to make efforts with all peace partners so that the former warring parties form a transitional government in South Sudan.

The president reportedly promised Machar that Egypt will continue to provide development programs in many areas, according to the Egyptian diplomat.