Egypt on Sunday rejected the decision by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their allies in Sudan to form a parallel government, warning that such a move would threaten the country’s “unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.”

“Egypt expresses its rejection of any attempt that threatens the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the brotherly Sudan, including the continued formation of a parallel Sudanese government,” the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Such actions “complicate the situation in Sudan, hinder ongoing efforts to unify political visions, and worsen the humanitarian crisis,” it added.

Egypt also called on “all Sudanese forces to prioritize the country’s supreme national interest and engage positively in launching a comprehensive political process without exclusion or foreign interference.”

Last week, Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Badr Abdelatty, reiterated this stance during a press conference alongside his Sudanese counterpart, Ali Youssef.

Since April 2023, Sudan has been embroiled in a war between the RSF, led by General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, and the army, commanded by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the de facto leader of the country.

The conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, displaced over 12 million people, and caused a food shortage leading to famine in several regions.

The RSF and its allies signed a charter last Sunday in Kenya, declaring the formation of a “government of peace and unity” in areas under their control.

This decision has sparked strong criticism, including from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who warned that the formation of a parallel government “would further exacerbate Sudan’s fragmentation.”

Saudi Arabia, which had previously mediated ceasefire negotiations between the warring parties, also rejected the RSF’s decision, along with other Gulf countries, including Kuwait and Qatar.

The United Arab Emirates, which has been repeatedly accused of supplying weapons to the RSF—allegations it has denied—has yet to comment on the matter.