President Abdel Fattah El Sisi received yesterday Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir during his first visit to Cairo since 2016, according to an Ittihadiya statement. Both leaders vowed to cooperate in managing the effects of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the Associated Press reports. They also agreed to strengthen ties and work on bolstering trade, military, infrastructure, and energy cooperation. Upcoming joint projects they discussed include land, sea, and river transport, as well as electricity grid interconnection projects. Egypt, which is on the cusp of an energy boom, had made these interconnection projects a mainstay of foreign economic cooperation, with plans for projects underway with Saudi, Jordan and potential plans with Cyprus.

The Sudanese President also announced his support for El Sisi’s bid for re-election, Reuters reports. Al Bashir’s one-day visit comes as relations with Khartoum continue to improve following a rise in tensions over GERD. Sudan’s ambassador also returned to his post in Cairo earlier this month, nearly three months after having been recalled for consultations.