El Sisi and Sudanese Defense Minister agree to reinforce border control: Egypt and Sudan will be holding a joint military committee meeting to discuss cooperation on border control, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and Sudanese Defense Minister Mohammed Ahmed Ibn Ouf agree during a Monday meeting, according to an Ittihadiya statement. Relations with Sudan had been tense after Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir reportedly accused Egypt of arming Sudanese rebels back in February.

Al Bashir might be softening his stance on Egypt. The Sudanese leader reportedly tried to “ease Egypt’s concerns” over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam during joint presser with Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn last Thursday, declaring his commitment to ensuring “that the Egyptian share of the Nile water will not be affected,” according to Bizcommunity.com.

This news comes as AllAfrica suggests that El Sisi’s Africa tour last week was an attempt to “convince countries to adopt its renegotiated position on the Nile Basin Initiative ahead of this month’s Council of Waters Ministers’ meeting.”