Sudan’s Taha returns home after performoning Hajj

November 29, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese Vice President Ali Osman Taha returned today to Khartoum after performing the rituals of Hajj in Saudi Arabia.

Taha was received at Khartoum Airport by the Presidential Assistant Nafi Ali Nafi and a number of ministers.

He co-chairs with Riek Machar, the Vie-President of South Sudan government the joint political committee between the two partners of the national unity government which is currently discussing the referendum bill.

The talks between the two parties are expected to resume soon.

Only five people died from swine flu during the hajj, among them one Sudanese. The Saudi authorities said the the Hajj ended without the feared mass outbreak of swine flu. Only recorded 73 cases of H1N1 were reported.

(ST)