Sudan, Egypt Entered into Military Cooperation Deal Claiming “Severe National Security Threats”

March 3, 2021

Sudan and Egypt claim that they are both facing “severe national security threat.” Their territorial disputes over seems to be shelved now. 

Chief of Staffs of Egypt and Sudan (Photo : matarees via Samson Kahsay – SM)

Borkena

As Sudan pushes for controlling more territories deep inside Ethiopia, it has inked a military partnership agreement with Egypt with whom it has territorial dispute over Halaib Triangle. 

A report by Sudan Tribune on Tuesday said that the Chief of staff of Sudanese Defense Force, Lt Gen Mohamed-Osman al-Hussein, and Egyptian Army Chief of Staff Lt Gen Mohamed Farid  inked the military agreement in Khartoum, Sudan’s capital. 

The goal is  “to achieve joint national security for the two countries, by building capable armed forces,”  Lt Gen Mohamed-Osman al-Hussein is quoted as saying. 

His Egyptian counterpart expressed readiness to cater for Sudanese military needs including in the areas of training, arming and border security, according to Sudan Tribune report. 

Egypt tends to see “severe” national security threats in the region. Sudan Tribune quoted the Egyptian army chief as saying “The multiplicity and severity of threats surrounding national security and common interests call for integration between brothers.” 

It is to be recalled that Ethiopia and South Sudan signed a Military cooperation agreement about two or so weeks ago.

According to Arab News, Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces Mohamed Farid arrived in Khartoum on Sunday and had a joint presser with his Sudanese counterpart after the agreement for military cooperation.  It quoted The Egyptian Ministry of Defense as saying that  “The Egyptian and Sudanese leaderships agree on the need to accelerate the development of areas of military and security cooperation, in order to enhance the capabilities of the two sides to face challenges to their national security and their common interests.” 

Sudan and Ethiopia developed an uneasy relation after the Sudanese force made an incursion into the Ethiopian territories after November 4, 2020, following relocation of the Ethiopian Defense Force to north Ethiopia as part of the law enforcement operation against the TPLF forces which attacked several bases of  the Northern command. 

The Relationship between Egypt and Ethiopia is not harmonious either. Egypt sees Ethiopia’s right to develop and to use its share of the Abay water (internationally known as the Nile) by generating Hydro-electric power from The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam as a national security threat for Egypt. 

On the other hand, until a few months ago Sudan did not see Ethiopia’s dam as a threat. In fact, Sudan at one point declined to sign Arab League sponsored resolution document, which was initiated by Egypt. It framed Ethiopian dam issue as something that endangers the “water rights of Egypt and Sudan.” 

Egyptian expressed readiness to support Sudan militarily came as Sudan is planning further military action in the Ethiopian territory and as most of the Western nations are mounting pressure on Ethiopia in what seems to be an attempt to resuscitate Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).