Arab League chief to visit Sudan this month: official

January 4, 2014 (KHARTOUM) –The Secretary-General of the Arab League Nabil al-Arabi will visit Sudan on January 19th for the opening of the Economic and Investment Council’s special session, his deputy Ahmed Ben-Helli announced.

Ben Helli said in press statements that the Arab food security, which is the focus of this session, is of utmost importance pointing out that the visit would be an opportunity to get acquainted with the situation in Sudan .

Al-Arabi will meet with president Omer Hassan al-Bashir during his visit, Ben Helli added.

Sudan’s state minister of Finance Mohammed Yusuf Ali, who heads the preparatory committees for the conference, said that the food gap in the Arab world is estimated at $40 billion a year.

He noted that the opportunity is available for Sudan to fill part of the Arab world’s food gap.

The upcoming conference which will last for two days will see the participation of the Arab ministers of finance, economy and trade as well as Arab financial institutions and joint Arab action organizations.

(ST)