In his first overseas visit since the onset of the Sudanese war on April 15th, the Sudanese Army Chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, was warmly received on August 29th, 2023, in Egypt by his counterpart, President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi. Evacuated from his headquarters in Khartoum just last week, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan now seeks to present himself less as a war commander and more as the President of the Sovereignty Council, which still officially governs the country despite the ongoing four-month conflict.
Stepping off the aircraft this Tuesday morning in al-Alamein, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan appeared in civilian attire. He was greeted with a red carpet by his key ally, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, also a military figure, elegantly dressed in a suit and tie. According to a statement from the Sovereignty Council, their discussions will focus on the “latest developments in Sudan” and “bilateral relations between the two countries.”
Undoubtedly, a new, more political phase is unfolding. Just yesterday, on Monday, General al-Burhan was still in uniform as he addressed an enthusiastic crowd of soldiers in Port Sudan, located on the Red Sea, where administrations and diplomats have relocated. In his speech, he categorically rejected any agreement with the opposing Rapid Support Forces (RSF), stating, “We do not make agreements with traitors.”
Following this, he held a meeting with his Vice President, Malik Agar, who has been acting as the head of diplomacy for the past two months. He then convened his cabinet ministers. The Sovereignty Council’s statement also indicated that he met with the leader of the Masalit tribe. Simultaneously, in the southern Darfur region, 39 new civilian casualties were reported on Tuesday amid the ongoing battles in the city of Nyala.
As General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan embarks on this diplomatic endeavor, he signifies a pivotal shift in his role from a military commander to a statesman navigating complex regional dynamics. The discussions in Egypt hold the promise of shedding light on the evolving Sudanese situation, and the world watches attentively to discern the path the nation will take amid the turmoil.