Sudan's embattled Bashir seeks support from Egypt's Sisi amid mushrooming protests

Sudan's embattled President Omar al-Bashir has travelled to Cairo as popular demonstrations against his 29-year rule continue to shake the country.

Arriving on Sunday for a short visit, Bashir met with fellow general-turned-President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to discuss "deepening relations and improving economic ties".

A statement released by Egypt's presidency did not mention the month-long protests that have rattled Bashir's rule, only saying that Egypt supported Sudan's 'stability'.

At a joint news conference, the leaders stressed an agreement must be reached with Ethiopia over its controversial Grand Renaissance Dam.

"We must reach a deal on the rate of filling the dam with Ethiopia to ensure that Egypt and Sudan's share of Nile water is not affected," Bashir said, according to The New Arab's Arabic-language service.

Bashir's visit to Cairo is his second trip abroad since the demonstrations erupted against worsening economic hardships before mushrooming into calls for an end to his three decades in power.

Last week, he visited Qatar on a pre-scheduled trip hoping for an aid package to help contain the crisis, but Doha stressed support for Sudan's "unity and stability". 

Sudan analyst Eric Reeves said the trip was aimed at securing the full support of general-turned-president Sisi, who has had strained relations with Khartoum in recent years.

"Bashir's failure to secure substantial financial assistance from Qatar… means that there is no short-term economic assistance of note in the offing," Reeves told The New Arab.

"But support from Egypt does little to help Bashir address the demands of the uprising, which grows by the day. Bashir may find in someone willing to say that the brutal repressive measures the Khartoum regime is employing are somehow acceptable,"

"His visit may also be a way to stave off criticism from the Arab League, in which Egypt still enjoys a powerful role. But on the economic front, Bashir knows the game is up - all he can do in Egypt is secure the support of another general who came to power by military coup," he added.

Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry voiced support for Sudan's embattled government during a visit to Khartoum in December.

Cairo and Khartoum have recently sought to iron out their differences in a bid to improve relations roiled by a longstanding border dispute and an impasse in talks over Ethiopia's Nile dam.

Bashir, who took power after a military coup in 1989, has said any change of leadership could only come through the ballot box.

Bashir's trip comes as the Sudanese Professionals Association that is leading the campaign against his government called for sit-ins on Sunday across several districts of the capital Khartoum and its twin city of Omdurman, across the Nile.

The SPA, an umbrella group of dissident doctors, teachers and engineers, has also called for daily simultaneous demonstrations nationwide until Wednesday.

Sudan has been rocked by protests since December 19 after a government decision to triple the price of bread.

Officials say 30 people have died in the violence, while rights groups say more than 40 people have been killed including medics and children.