Relations between Sudan and Egypt have a long and complex history. Situated in the southern border of Egypt, there is a symbiotic relationship between the two.
Both President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan and President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt gain greater legitimacy by cooperating with one another. For Bashir, who faces a shortage of countries to align with, Egypt is one part of a very small pool of possible allies. For Sisi, who is facing growing domestic issues, this relationship allows him to posture Egypt as a leader in the region.
However, tensions in the relationship may be exacerbated by reports of Sudanese nationals facing mistreatment by Egyptian authorities.
#Egypt army shoots dead 5 #Sudan #migrants near #Israel border, last week Egyptian Mil killed 16 Sudanese same area https://t.co/nmjmv3KTie
— SaadAbedine (@SaadAbedine) November 24, 2015#Sudan|ese national tells story of his detention & torture when he went to #Egypt to get medical treatment for son https://t.co/YBBFnl9XiB
— Mai El-Sadany (@maitelsadany) November 21, 2015
The recent shootings of Sudanese nationals by Egyptian authorities near the Egyptian-Israeli border have brought attention to Egypt’s treatment of Sudanese nationals. Egyptian authorities assert that these shootings were the result of migrants trespassing the borders and that the migrants had received warning shots. Yet, they have rejected calls from the UN to launch an investigation into these shootings.
Reports of arrests and torture of Sudanese nationals in Egypt have also raised concern about the treatment of the Sudanese within Egypt. Earlier this week, it was reported that a Sudanese man named Yehia Zakaria was arrested in Egypt while trying to get his son treatment. Although charges against him were later dropped, he was severly tortured while detained and has suffered a mental breakdown. Actions like these have prompted responses from the Sudanese government.
#Sudan: Egyptian violations against Sudanese citizens ‘unacceptable’ https://t.co/smwrMCyGC2 | #Egypt
— Middle East Monitor (@MiddleEastMnt) November 23, 2015
While the head of Sudan’s governing political party has affirmed that relations with Egypt are stable, he also labeled these shooting and violations “unacceptable.”
Negotiations over the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia, which will allocate access to the Nile River between the three countries, have been postponed. Although officials have released statements that this was due to scheduling conflicts, there are growing calls for the Egyptian government to directly address these reports of abuse.
By Adaeze Eze
