Egypt, Japan call for permanent cease-fire in Sudan

ANKARA

Egypt and Japan on Sunday called for a permanent cease-fire in Sudan amid clashes between the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The call was made following talks in Cairo between Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Addressing a press conference in Cairo, al-Sisi called on external parties to refrain from intervening in the Sudanese conflict.

"The Egyptian vision is based on achieving an immediate, permanent, and comprehensive ceasefire in Sudan,” he added.

Kishida, for his part, said his talks with the Egyptian leader took up a number of issues, including bilateral ties, the Ukraine crisis and the situation in Sudan.

At least 528 people have been killed and more than 4,500 injured in fighting between two rival generals in Sudan – army chief Abdel Fattah Burhan and RSF commander Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo – since April 15, according to Sudan's Health Ministry.

Sunday’s visit is the first by the Japanese prime minister to the Middle East region since he took office in October 2021.

His visit comes before the G7 summit in the Japanese city of Hiroshima in May.

Egypt is the first stop in Kishida’s week-long tour that also includes Ghana, Kenya and Mozambique.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi