Egypt has said it will host a summit of Sudan's neighbours on July 13 to discuss ways to end a 12-week conflict between rival Sudanese military factions that has triggered a major humanitarian crisis in the region.
Diplomatic efforts to halt fighting between Sudan's army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have so far proved ineffective, with competing initiatives creating confusion over how the warring parties might be brought to negotiate.
Neither Egypt, seen as the Sudanese army's most important foreign ally, nor the United Arab Emirates, which has had close ties to the RSF, have played a prominent public role.
The two countries were also not involved in talks in Jeddah led by the United States and Saudi Arabia that adjourned last month after failing to secure a lasting ceasefire.
‘Develop effective mechanisms’
Sudan's two largest neighbours, Egypt and Ethiopia, have been at odds in recent years over the construction of a huge hydroelectric dam on Ethiopia's Blue Nile, close to the border with Sudan.
The summit in Cairo on Thursday aims to "develop effective mechanisms" with neighbouring states to settle the conflict peacefully, in coordination with other regional or international efforts, Egypt's presidency said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Sudanese delegations, including from civilian parties that shared power with the army and RSF after the overthrow of former president Omar al-Bashir four years ago, are expected to meet on Monday in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa for exploratory talks.
The leaders of former rebel groups from Darfur that signed a partial peace deal in 2020 are expected to travel to Chad for talks, though the timing of the talks is unclear and travel in and out of Sudan remains complicated due to the conflict.
