Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has reaffirmed Cairo’s support for a political solution to the war in Sudan during talks with Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council.

The two leaders met in New Alamein on 4 October on the sidelines of the African Union’s eighth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, according to the Egyptian presidency.

Sisi said Egypt would continue working at regional and international levels to advance a political settlement, help bring the war to an end and alleviate the humanitarian suffering of Sudanese people.

The Egyptian presidency said Sisi also reiterated Cairo’s support for Sudan’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as what it described as the cohesion of the country’s national institutions.

A political settlement, the presidency said, would allow Sudan to restore security and stability before moving towards reconstruction and development.

Burhan thanked Egypt for its political and humanitarian support and for hosting Sudanese people who had fled the conflict.

He also said state institutions should not be placed on an equal footing with what he called “rebel militias or parallel entities”, according to the Egyptian presidency. The description reflects the position of Sudan’s army-aligned authorities.

Sudan’s war began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces, headed by Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti.

Repeated diplomatic efforts have failed to secure a lasting ceasefire. A recent US proposal calls for a 90-day truce followed by political negotiations, but an adviser to Sudan’s army-aligned authorities criticised the plan in late September, arguing that it did not adequately address the RSF’s presence in urban areas.

Egypt has been involved in several diplomatic initiatives since the conflict began. Cairo hosted leaders from Sudan’s neighbouring states in July 2023, when participants called for an immediate and sustainable ceasefire and created a mechanism intended to complement African Union and regional peace efforts.

Egypt also hosted Sudanese political and civil groups in July 2024 as part of attempts to promote dialogue over the country’s future.

The conflict has driven large numbers of Sudanese into neighbouring countries, including Egypt. UNHCR figures show that 851,820 Sudanese refugees and asylum-seekers were registered in Egypt at the end of July 2026, making Sudanese nationals by far the largest registered refugee group in the country.

Relations between Cairo and Sudan’s army-aligned authorities have also increasingly focused on reconstruction.

During talks in April 2025, Egypt said it was prepared to participate in reconstruction and rehabilitation projects in Sudan, including cooperation in electricity, railways, health, agriculture, industry and mining.

That cooperation was expanded in February 2026, when Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Sudanese Prime Minister Kamil Idris agreed to increase collaboration in construction and urban development. Egypt welcomed a Sudanese request for expertise in establishing a new administrative city modelled in part on Egypt’s experience.

The 4 October talks returned the focus to the war itself, with Sisi saying that ending the fighting and achieving a political settlement were necessary before Sudan could move towards reconstruction and development.