Cairo and Khartoum said to plan sovereign fund amid dam controversy

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly (L) welcomes his Sudanese counterpart Abdalla Hamdok upon his arrival in Cairo on Thursday. (AFP)

• Joint railway among potential projects
• Row with Ethiopia over dam discussed

RIYADH: Cairo and Khartoum have agreed to establish a sovereign fund to finance projects between the two countries, sources told Al Arabiya on Thursday. They revealed Egyptian-Sudanese discussions to establish a railway line between the two countries, and to remove entry visas between Egypt and Sudan.
Egypt President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received Dr. Abdullah Hamdok, Prime Minister of Sudan, at the Federal Palace on Thursday.
The meeting dealt with “following up issues of bilateral relations between the two sides, in light of the president’s recent visit to Khartoum, as well as developments in regional issues of mutual interest,” Presidency official spokesman, Bassam Radi, said.
The two sides also reviewed the latest developments around Ethiopoia’s Grand Renaissance Dam.
Sudan and Egypt are seeking to build a united front in an ongoing row over the controversial dam being built by Ethiopia on the Blue Nile.
The dispute hinges on how much water Ethiopia will release downstream if an extended drought occurs.
Sudan Prime Minister’s visit to Egypt follows the visit that President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi made to Khartoum last week.