Al-Bashir encourages Chinese businessmen to invest in Sudan
Nov 4, 2006 (BEIJING) — In a meeting with the businessmen, president al-Bashir encouraged the Chinese business community to invest in the Sudan, hailing economical partnership with China.
President Omar Al-Bashir has affirmed the government concern with the Chinese investments in Sudan and that they are being paid great attention at the level of the Presidency in addition to the other guarantees that are given by the Ministry of Finance and National Economy and the Ministry of Energy and Mining.
In his meeting with the Chinese and Sudanese businessmen at his residence in Beijing Friday, Al-Bashir urged the Chinese investors for more cooperation and investment in all fields in Sudan besides making partnerships with public and private sectors, the state-run SUNA reported.
He explained that the African leaders enquired how Sudan succeeded in oil exploration in spite of it was being in state of blockade by financing institutions and western countries, adding that the answer was the cooperation and sincere support of China without any political agenda with a cost less than the estimates of the Western financing institutions.
Minister of Finance and National Economy Al-Zubair Ahmed Al-Hassan explained to the businessmen and investors the progress of the Sudan’s economy, adding that the success in oil exploration was realized within the context of 10-year programme from 1996 to 2006.
He said that there was a package of policies that led to the success of Sudan economy in realizing growth rate of 8% and reducing inflation rate at percentage of more than 100 % and now it is only 7 %, affirming that foreign resources increased in Sudan and now the foreign currency reserve satisfies the need of the country for more than 5 months.
He added that the cooperation with China extended to the institutions and investors and China granted Sudan donations, facilities and development loans.
He said that the government set a 5-year economic plan (2007- 2012) to preserve the economic success by targeting growth rate ranging between 8 and 10 % a year, stressing that the coming period would witness more of income distribution through programmes aim at increase of productivity in agricultural and industrial sectors besides promotion of infrastructures.
The minister also said that the main objectives of the plan aim to bridging the technological and digital gap between Sudan and the developed world in the fields of telecommunication, computerization and the other technological domains.
He pointed that all the above-mentioned fields need training and infrastructures from outside Sudan, emphasizing that the existence of partnerships between Sudanese investors and businessmen and their Chinese counterparts is of great importance in this regard.
Meanwhile, Minister of Energy and Mining Awad Al-Jaz addressed the businessmen and investors, affirming that the two countries’ visions are identical 100 % concerning the partnership future.
He praised Chinese investment experience in Sudan, adding that the success of the model in Sudan encouraged setting up the Chinese African Forum, explaining that investment significance in Sudan increased following signing of the peace agreements.
(ST)