Sudanese-Egyptian Relations: A Strategic Vision

PortSudan (Sudanow) - Sudan and Egypt share deep historical ties that transcend geographical borders, encompassing cultural, economic, and water-related links. However, the war of April 15, 2023, in Sudan has imposed a new reality that demands a different strategic approach and a reordering of priorities, as the pre-war phase is not the same as the post-war phase.
To shed the light on this, Sudanow met with Major General (Retired) Dr. Moawya Sabry Rasheedy, a strategic expert and academic professor at several Sudanese universities. He began by clarifying that the upcoming period for the Hope Government, headed by Professor Kamil Idris, must place the bilateral Sudanese-Egyptian relations at the top of its priorities. This should be based on a scientific and practical vision aimed at building sustainable strategic relations between the two countries, founded on common interests, mutual benefit, and the protection of regional security, with an emphasis on non-interference in each other's affairs and respecting national sovereignty.
Mending the Social Fabric and Sudan's Stability
The security expert affirmed that the war that ignited in Sudan and continues to rage is fundamentally a regional conspiracy with known regional funding. This has caused widespread destruction of the country's infrastructure and the displacement of civilians to neighboring countries such as Ethiopia, Chad, Libya, South Sudan, Central Africa, and even Kenya and Uganda. However, Egypt bore the largest share of receiving these displaced citizens, whose number exceeded 3 million families with their children, fleeing the inferno of war due to the killing, displacement, rape, theft, and physical violence they witnessed at the hands of the Dagalo militias, all while the world remained silent.

Regarding the strategic axes that the Hope Government will adopt, Dr. Rasheedy, in his capacity as an observer and academic, stated: "This strategy must include a clear vision that seeks to unify the social fabric so that Sudan can primarily enjoy stability," especially amidst international and regional conspiracies that target not only its stability but its very existence as a state. He illustrated this by citing the current creation of a war hotspot and its unlimited support with military equipment and mercenaries from diaspora countries and the West African belt, marking the biggest tragedy Sudan has witnessed in its modern era. The conspiracy continues, with the aim of displacing a people, plundering their resources, and altering their demographics and population structure.
Egypt's Role During the War
Major General (Retired) Moawya Rasheedy stated that "Egypt has never been absent from the Sudanese scene throughout the war. It has been a true supporter in African, international, and regional forums, holding firm to Sudan's unity and its legitimate government, and refusing to make any concessions that would harm Sudan's territorial integrity."
The strategic expert also emphasized that Egypt opened its arms (both government and people alike) to Sudanese citizens despite its own economic challenges. It welcomed masses of migrants and provided them with housing, medical care, and public and higher education at all levels. They shared their livelihood with kindness and hospitality, without reproach, harm, or harassment, making their temporary stay for three years and still ongoing.

He stressed that Sudanese people did not feel like strangers, as Egypt was the elder sister who embodied the meaning of one spirit in two bodies. It also provided all facilities for Sudanese Certificate examinations for two consecutive years in Egyptian schools, under the protection and security of the Egyptian police and security forces.
Egypt's Stance on the Hope Government
Academic Dr. Moawya Rasheedy indicated that the Egyptian government was the first to welcome the appointment of His Excellency Professor Kamal Idris as the interim Prime Minister of Sudan. Not only that, but it also pledged to provide all assistance to the interim government (the Hope Government) in all sectors that need reconstruction, such as the bridges sector, which was severely damaged by the terrorist Dagalo militias, and other facilities and infrastructure in the country.
At this point, the Hope Government should reciprocate their kindness by entering into strategic partnerships with Egypt in all fields, which we will discuss in some detail during this meeting, confident that the Hope Government can swiftly lift Sudan from its predicament.
He added that approximately 3 million Sudanese citizens resided in Egypt before the war, settling there and making it their home, enjoying the benefits granted to them by the Four Freedoms Agreement. The Egyptian government provided them with all necessary facilities, including housing, residency permits, medical care, and school and university education.
Dr. Moawya Rasheedy also linked all of the above to Egypt's significant and pioneering role in Sudan's education journey, where Egypt sent an educational mission to Sudan for various academic levels. It also established a large number of schools in various Sudanese states, from which thousands of students graduated. Then came Cairo University's Khartoum branch, accommodating a huge number of students, establishing several theoretical and applied faculties. The graduates of this university had a significant positive impact on the development and growth of civil service and society as a whole.
The strategic expert called on the Hope Government to reconsider the return of the educational mission and Cairo University's Khartoum branch due to their role in developing cultural relations between the two countries, in addition to treating Egyptian students enrolled in Sudanese universities the same as Sudanese students in terms of tuition fees and expenses.
Egypt's Role in the Post-War Phase
As the war is nearing its end with a clear victory for the Sudanese Armed Forces over the terrorist Dagalo militia, the strategic and security expert explained that for the post-war security and political file, a joint and permanent mechanism with the Egyptian side should be established for political consultation and security and military coordination between them. Additionally, efforts should be made to rehabilitate border crossings and borders effectively to facilitate the flow of citizens between the two countries under joint supervision. This requires activating the Four Freedoms Agreement, lifting visa restrictions, and allowing travel with only identification cards (revisiting the previous Wadi El-Nile card experience).
Dr. Moawya Rasheedy reiterated the necessity of prioritizing the security and military file for the Hope Government. Therefore, he expects the governments of both countries to proceed with securing their borders from mercenary and criminal incursions using the latest border surveillance equipment, in addition to establishing joint control and inspection points with military protection and the latest security requirements, including anti-aircraft and ground defense systems, radars, and so on.
These enumerated actions undoubtedly require cooperation between the two countries, starting from strategic planning, then implementation, monitoring, and finally evaluation and re-planning. This necessitates reactivating the Joint Defense Agreement and cooperation in military, police, and security training, in addition to exchanging information, expertise, and courses in these areas.
He also called on Professor Kamal Idris's government to work on unifying visions as much as possible on regional issues, especially those with a security dimension (Libya, Ethiopia, Eritrea), foremost among them the issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and the security of the Red Sea.
After security comes food security. Given Egypt's pioneering experience in agricultural reclamation, animal production, and veterinary fields, the academic and strategic expert did not rule out the Hope Government's response, especially in economic sectors, by looking northward to benefit from Egyptian expertise, particularly in agriculture. He suggested cultivating all arable land in partnership with Egyptian brothers, with a large portion of the labor force for these projects being Egyptian. Dr. Moawya Rasheedy justified this by the extensive acquired experience of Egyptian farmers in this regard.
He stressed the need to build infrastructure, such as roads within these projects, to facilitate export operations. He called for granting these projects exemption from all customs duties and administrative fees for agricultural inputs (tractors, seeds, fertilizers), in addition to exempting farmers from all administrative fees, which will significantly enhance the success opportunities for Sudanese farmers and the inheritance of these benefits in land reclamation, seed improvement, and doubling production and productivity by cultivating new, good, and improved varieties, enhancing plowing and cultivation processes, and increasing the productive capacity per feddan.
Furthermore, he advocated for the introduction of new cash crops into the agricultural production cycle, along with the expansion of both vertical and horizontal farming areas for wheat, rice, soybeans, sunflowers, legumes, and other crops that increase national income and benefit both countries.
Dr. Moawya Rasheedy also expected the Hope Government to prioritize the economic sector by focusing on exploration and mining, and modernizing working methods in these areas by leveraging Egyptian expertise, especially in natural gas extraction.
He added that one of the lessons learned from this war is the necessity of expanding alternative energy projects such as solar, wind, geothermal, and biogas due to their low cost and widespread potential, thereby reducing the risk of targeting. Egypt also has long experience in this field.
He also called for the establishment of a free trade zone between the two countries, in addition to supporting electricity interconnection projects and land roads (Qastal - Wadi Halfa) and (Argeen - Wadi Halfa), and establishing joint railway and river lines to facilitate the movement of goods and travelers in what is called the "theory of intertwined interests."
Dr. Moawya Rasheedy also hoped that the Hope Government would benefit from Egypt's pioneering experience in federal governance, administrative and legal reform of state structures, reducing administrative bureaucracy, activating administrative and financial oversight mechanisms across all state institutions, and establishing a sovereign fund and a decision-making support center. Egypt's experience is pioneering in this aspect.

He called for the necessity of benefiting from the Egyptian experience in caring for and rehabilitating the youth and junior sectors and the sports sector in general, establishing integrated youth centers to attract young people and keep them away from the quagmire of drugs, crime, and the corruption of social media. He also emphasized caring for and empowering the women's sector, eradicating illiteracy, and establishing advanced service centers to create an active and productive generation.
In conclusion, through this interview with Major General (Retired) Dr. Moawya Sabry Rasheedy, the strategic expert, Sudanow magazine aimed to shed light on the eternal relations between Sudan and Egypt and the expected scenarios for the government's approach to Egypt in light of Egypt's (official and popular) historical interaction with Sudan.

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