Egypt and Sudan have agreed to work together to kick-start a new phase of bilateral relations, a joint statement by the leaders of both countries said on Tuesday amid reports of growing tension between the two neighbours over Khartoum's hosting of members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood group. The announcement was made shortly after Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi met with his Sudanese counterpart Omar Al-Bashir in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa during the 28th General Assembly of the African Union. The meeting came against the backdrop of reports of growing tensions over Sudan's hosting of members of the Muslim Brotherhood and allowing Khartoum-based leaders of the group to recently hold internal elections of its advisory council. El-Sisi and Al-Bashir agreed "to work to launch a new phase of brotherly relations between the two countries… to bolster stability and achieve development and prosperity for both countries," the joint statement said, according to Egypt's state news agency MENA. The two leaders said they would work towards bolstering economic cooperation as well as political and security ties. They reaffirmed the "unified objectives associated with the national security of both countries and joining hands to confront all challenges in the Arab, African and the Middle East region," the statement added. Tuesday's meeting is part of the efforts by both sides to maintain communication and coordination at all regional and international events, the statement said. Sudan's foreign minister Ibrahim Ghandour said earlier on Tuesday that both sides have intensified meetings over the past period to look at means of boosting bilateral ties.
