A military drill named, the “Guardians of the Nile” will take place within the framework of the joint military training and cooperation agreement signed between the two countries. The military forces of the two countries had previously performed training exercises on the air force level named, “Nile Eagles 1 and 2”.
With these military exercises, the purpose of the parties is to improve military cooperation, share experience and improve military capacity to act together against any threat to both countries. In addition, the exercises play a role in bringing the two governments further together, considering their military background.
In the context of the military exercise, troops and equipment of the Egyptian Armed Forces came to Sudan on May 21. The purpose of the joint military exercise was regarded to be preparatory against possible threats in the region. It is reported that some of the troops of the Egyptian Armed Forces came by sea prior to the announcement, and military vehicles and equipment were placed at Khartoum airbase.
The rapprochement between Sudan and Egypt has reached its present state following the first filling process of the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), after the two states disagreed with Ethiopia over the filling and operation of the dam. Previously, Sudan stood at an equal distance from Ethiopia and Egypt in the context of the GERD project. Sudan’s transforming policy in the context of GERD can be attributed to both the flood disaster during the rainy season and the border problem with Ethiopia in the period following the first filling of the dam.
Relations have further improved between Egypt and Sudan as both countries share concerns regarding the amount of water that will flow towards the downstream countries. Furthermore, following the failure of the latest round of GERD negotiations, the two Nile countries have attempted to internationalize the dispute with Ethiopia, thus further converging the two countries’ foreign policy within the region.
