Deep Dive: Foreign Minister discusses Sudan crisis developments with Trump's top advisor

Egypt's Foreign Minister engaging with a top advisor to former U.S. President Donald Trump signals heightened diplomatic coordination on the Sudan crisis, a conflict that has ravaged the country since April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) under Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti). From a geopolitical lens, Sudan sits at the crossroads of the Horn of Africa and North Africa, controlling vital Nile waters and Red Sea access, making it a flashpoint for regional powers like Egypt, which fears instability spilling over its borders, and the UAE, accused of backing the RSF for economic stakes in ports and gold. The U.S., even out of office, wields influence through Trump's network, potentially previewing a more transactional American approach to African conflicts under future administrations. As international correspondent, this meeting underscores cross-border ripple effects: Sudan's war has displaced over 10 million, creating the world's largest displacement crisis, with refugees straining Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt's Sinai. Humanitarian corridors are blocked, exacerbating famine risks certified by the UN, while migration waves threaten Europe's southern flank via Libya routes. Egypt, hosting 1.2 million Sudanese, pushes for SAF victory to secure its upstream water security amid its own economic woes post-Arab Spring. Regionally, cultural and tribal ties amplify stakes—Darfur's Arab-African divides echo historical marginalization, fueling RSF recruitment. Key actors include Saudi Arabia and UAE mediating (or meddling) in Jeddah talks, Russia via Wagner remnants securing gold for Ukraine war funding, and China protecting Belt and Road investments in Port Sudan. This dialogue matters as it could align Egypt-U.S. efforts to pressure a ceasefire, countering Qatar-Turkey pro-RSF leanings, with outlook hinging on U.S. election dynamics. Implications extend to global food security, as Sudan was Africa's breadbasket; Black Sea grain parallels loom if chaos persists. Stakeholders like the African Union, sidelined by divisions, and IGAD face credibility tests, while Trump's advisor involvement hints at private diplomacy bypassing Biden's multilateralism, potentially reshaping post-conflict power shares.