Egypt, Sudan Discuss Nile Cooperation Amid Ongoing Sudan Conflict

Egypt and Sudan discussed Nile River cooperation during Sudanese Prime Minister Kamil al-Taib Idris’s visit to Cairo. Egypt opposed Ethiopia’s unilateral actions on the GERD, while Idris reported consensus. Sudan’s civil war since April 2023 has killed over 40,000, displaced 7 million, and sent 1.5 million refugees to Egypt.

Egypt and Sudan held extensive discussions on the Nile River and ways to strengthen cooperation during a visit to Cairo on Thursday by Sudanese Prime Minister Kamil al-Taib Idris. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi formally welcomed the Sudanese leader, who was also received by Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly for bilateral talks. Speaking at a joint press briefing, Madbouly voiced Egypt’s “complete rejection of the unilateral steps that Ethiopia is taking” regarding the management and use of the Nile River’s waters.

The issue remains deeply sensitive, as Egypt has repeatedly accused Ethiopia of showing no genuine political will to reach a legally binding agreement on the operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which Ethiopia has now completed. Cairo argues that the dam threatens its vital share of the Nile River’s waters — the primary source of irrigation, drinking water, and agricultural support for more than 100 million Egyptians. Egypt has long insisted that any major project on the river, which is the lifeline for both Egypt and Sudan, must be implemented through mutual consent to avoid harm to downstream countries.

In his first foreign trip since assuming office, Idris expressed satisfaction with the tone and substance of the talks, saying there was both “agreement” and “consensus” on the matters discussed. His visit comes at a time when Sudan is facing one of the gravest crises in its history. Since April 2023, the country has been torn apart by a brutal power struggle between the national military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The fighting has unleashed a humanitarian disaster, killing more than 40,000 people and creating one of the world’s largest displacement emergencies.

The war has devastated much of Sudan’s infrastructure. The capital, Khartoum, was left largely destroyed, with key landmarks such as the presidential palace and the main international airport reduced to rubble. Yet, despite the destruction, there are small signs of recovery as some residents return, markets cautiously reopen, and limited commercial activity resumes. Still, electricity, clean water, and other essential services remain far from fully restored, leaving many residents in hardship.

Egypt has borne a significant share of the humanitarian burden, hosting more than 1.5 million Sudanese refugees who have fled north to escape the violence. Inside Sudan itself, over 7 million people have been displaced, with entire communities uprooted and vast swathes of the country engulfed in ongoing conflict. The situation has placed enormous pressure on aid agencies, neighboring countries, and diplomatic efforts aimed at securing peace.