Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Wednesday stressed that Egyptian and Sudanese bonds are established and strong, noting that bilateral relations witnesses a new era of strategic cooperation. Shoukry said during a press conference held in Cairo with his Sudanese counterpart, El Dardiri Mohamed Ahmed that many projects in railway, transport, and electrical connection projects recently achieved between Egypt and Sudan, which considered a clear sign that relations back to normal. Shoukry further added that a number of agreements of joint cooperation are to be signed during the high joint committee held in October between both countries presidents. Concurrently, Shoukry noted that consultations regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) are ongoing based on the Declaration of Principles agreement signed between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia in 2015 and international laws. Sudanese foreign minister also stressed that Egypt and Sudan enjoy a comprehensive strategic relation, which is considered a qualitative leap between both countries and their peoples. Earlier on Tuesday, the Egyptian-Sudanese ministerial committee headed by both countries foreign ministers held several meetings in Cairo to address enhancing bilateral cooperation on different fields. The meetings included Egyptian and Sudanese ministers of Agriculture, Industry, Trade, Health, Youth and Sports, Higher Education, Transport, and other top officials, Sudan News Agency reported. Officials specifically addressed several bilateral deals including strategic projects on fields of agriculture, industry, agricultural and livestock processing, and enhancing cooperation on electrical connection projects, as well as exchanging expertise and training. Meanwhile, the Egyptian-Sudanese trade committee is to meet in Cairo next month to discuss bolstering economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, Egypt's Ministry of Trade and Industry said in a statement. The meetings are a preparation for a high joint committee to be held in Khartoum in October between Egypt's President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and his counterpart Omar Al-Bashir, where around 20 potential agreements and memorandums of understanding are due to be discussed. Ties between Egypt and Sudan were strained over the latter's support for the construction of the project. Egypt fears that building the dam on the Nile River will restrict its water share. Several meetings have been held since Ethiopia started building the dam in an attempt to resolve the issue, but they have so far produced few results. Last year, tensions escalated after Sudan imposed a ban on importing agricultural and animal products from Egypt over “a technical procedure,” without providing further details. Moreover, the conflict over the sovereignty of Halayeb and Shalateen, as well as Sudan's accusations against Egypt of interference in its internal affairs, contribute to tensions between Cairo and Khartoum.
