Egypt, Russia discuss Gaza ceasefire efforts, Sudan war escalation
Egypt and Russia discuss efforts to consolidate the Gaza ceasefire and reject parallel entities in Sudan amid worsening humanitarian crises.
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Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, left, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov shake hands during a news conference following their talks in Moscow, Russia, Sept. 16, 2024. (AP)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov held a phone conversation to discuss ongoing developments in the region, focusing on the Gaza ceasefire efforts and the war in Sudan.
According to a statement issued by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry on Saturday, Abdelatty reviewed Egypt’s continuous efforts to consolidate the Gaza ceasefire agreement and ensure full implementation of its provisions.
He emphasized the importance of advancing to the second phase of the ceasefire plan, which addresses political, developmental, and humanitarian dimensions to achieve lasting calm and regional stability.
On Gaza reconstruction conference
The Egyptian diplomat also discussed preparations for the international conference in Cairo aimed at supporting Gaza reconstruction. He stressed the need to mobilize global support to rebuild the devastated territory and alleviate the severe humanitarian suffering resulting from the war.
Egypt is implementing a five-year reconstruction plan endorsed by the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), valued at $53 billion. Meanwhile, UN estimates place the cost of Gaza’s recovery at approximately $70 billion.
In a related context, a new update from Gaza’s Health Ministry exposes the continuing scale of "Israel’s" genocide, reporting more than 69,000 Palestinians killed and over 170,000 injured since October 7, 2023.
Egypt, Russia reject fragmentation of Sudanese state
Turning to Sudan, both ministers expressed a shared position on the need to preserve the unity of Sudanese state institutions and rejected the formation of parallel entities.
Abdelatty called for coordinated regional and international action to establish a comprehensive humanitarian truce and to secure safe corridors for aid delivery to affected regions.
Abdelatty condemned the serious violations committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, and voiced alarm over the worsening humanitarian situation in Sudan.
The crises in Gaza and Sudan represent two of the most severe humanitarian emergencies in the region. In Gaza, months of relentless Israeli aggression have devastated infrastructure, displaced hundreds of thousands, and left tens of thousands dead or wounded, primarily women and children.
Meanwhile, Sudan faces escalating violence, leaving cities like El Fasher to transofrm into epicenters of ethnic violence, mass displacement, and humanitarian collapse, with international efforts struggling to secure ceasefires or deliver aid.
Read more: El Fasher 'overwhelmed by grief' as atrocities escalate: UN