Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi received in Cairo on Monday Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, stressing the need for cooperation between the two neighbors to serve each other’s security. Sisi said: “We agreed during our meeting on greater cooperation and coordination in various fields.” Talks also focused on bilateral ties and ways to bolster them, while “completely” respecting each country’s sovereignty, he told reporters at the Itihadiya palace. The two leaders also stressed the need for joint efforts to preserve their country’s national security. This will help raise cooperation between them in a manner that reflects the importance Cairo and Khartoum place on their relations. Sisi and Bashir agreed to activate various joint committees between them, which covered a range of issues, such as trade, the Nile River and border crossings. The Egyptian president said that he agreed with Bashir on holding regular meetings for these committees in order to bolster the interests of Cairo and Khartoum. Addressing concerns over the Nile and the Nahda dam, Sisi said that Egypt and Sudan were determined to work together with Ethiopia to reach a partnership that will benefit all concerned sides. For his part, Bashir said that Egypt and Sudan are witnessing a historic moment given the unrest in the region. He stressed that there was a strong political will for cooperation to resolve any dispute that may emerge between their neighboring countries.