No Shift in the Egyptian Position… Rather a Gradual Firmness

Brigadier of Police (Ret.)
Omar Mohammed Othman
The statement issued by the Arab Republic of Egypt on the occasion of the visit of Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Chairman of the Sovereignty Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to Cairo yesterday, cannot be described as a shift in Egypt’s position regarding the war in Sudan. It is, rather, a natural progression in expressing a position that has been firm and declared since the very first moment the war broke out.
As the great Egyptian poet Abdel Rahman al-Abnudi once said:
“Egypt sees, knows, and exercises patience… but in a fleeting moment she crosses over and reclaims the name and the titles.”
This line encapsulates the essence of Egypt’s policy toward Sudan: calm vision, precise understanding, and calculated patience—followed by decisive action at the right time.
Since the outbreak of the war, Egypt’s position has been crystal clear: no tampering with Sudan’s unity, no tampering with the institutions of the Sudanese state, and a sincere effort to find a solution that stops the bloodshed. Cairo has never been among the bystanders; it has stood steadfastly on the bank that protects Sudan from collapse. True to its nature, Egypt did not rush toward escalation, nor was it swayed by political one-upmanship or emotional reactions. Instead, it consistently relied on realistic political solutions and on supporting the Sudanese state and its legitimate institutions.
But unprecedented regional tempests blew fiercely. Much water has flowed beneath the bridge, and external actors have emerged whose aims are to fuel the war rather than extinguish it. Interference spread in every direction, to the point where the conflict’s impact surpassed military confrontation and began to touch upon national security across all strategic axes.
Amid this escalation, the Egyptian statement placed the dots firmly on the letters, declaring that there are red lines that cannot be crossed: Sudan’s unity, the preservation of its territorial integrity, the endurance of its state institutions, and the rejection of any parallel entities that threaten its national fabric. More importantly, Egypt did not stop at issuing warnings: it explicitly signalled its full right to take any measures it deems necessary, in accordance with international law and the Joint Defence Agreement between the two countries—an indication that Egyptian patience has reached its limits.
This, then, is not a shift but a gradual consolidation of a consistent stance, now expressed with greater clarity. Egypt has spoken with the voice of a responsible power—one that knows when to remain silent and when to speak, when to warn and when to declare that “what must be done must be done.”
This is Egypt—aware of Sudan’s worth and importance, fully cognisant that its security is inseparable from Egypt’s own, and unequivocal that Sudan’s collapse is not an option. That red line now shines more clearly than ever.

Shortlink: https://sudanhorizon.com/?p=9691