South Sudan and Egypt on Tuesday repeated calls for a cessation of hostilities between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan amid intermittent breaches of a ceasefire meant to create humanitarian corridors.
The call was made following talks in Juba between Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and President Salva Kiir Mayardit in Juba on Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference at the Juba State House after the talks, Minister Shoukry said it was important that Sudan’s neighbors exchange views and find ways of resolving the conflict there.
“The situation is dramatic in Sudan and the consequences of military activity on Sudan and its people and the effects have been wide-reaching to both the immediate and most active neighbors and their relationship with Sudan,” he said. “It necessitates that we, both Egypt and South Sudan, consolidate our efforts and exchange views on way forward to contain this situation and to relieve the difficulties that are met by the Sudanese people.”
Meanwhile, South Sudan’s Acting Foreign Minster Deng Dau Deng said the meeting stressed the need for cessation of hostilities to pave the way for political dialogue.
“They also discussed the future of the peace itself. The current situation is a ceasefire, cessation of hostilities, and then humanitarian access, and then after that, you talk about issues of a permanent ceasefire and a political discussion,” he said.
According to Dau, the disintegration and continuation of the war in Sudan put pressure on the two most influential neighbors of Sudan to find an amicable solution to the escalating conflict.
“There is a need for the immediate neighbors to take special concern on the situation in Sudan and President Salva Kiir reaffirms and reiterated that he is very much concerned, like Egypt, because we are immediate neighbors to Sudan,” he said, adding, “And not only immediate neighbors but we have pressure from the people that are living in Khartoum and elsewhere in Sudan.”