Sudan’s Bashir concludes a lightning visit to Qatar
May 24, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir concluded a short visit to Qatar on Sunday, a day after he returned from Saudi Arabia for talks with officials there.
Qatar news agency (QNA) said that Bashir discussed with the Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al-Thani regional and international issues of common concern particularly the recent developments in the area.
According to information obtained by Sudan Tribune, Bashir’s trips to Riyadh and Doha were prompted by the recent developments in the Arab world particularly the crisis in Yemen and Syria beside the situation in Egypt following the death sentences handed down against the ousted president Mohamed Morsi and his aides from the Muslim Brotherhood.
Well placed sources said that talks between Bashir and Saudi King Salman Bib Abdel-Aziz were likely dominated by the political and military developments in Yemen, noting that Sudan enjoys reasonable acceptance by the Yemeni popular resistance groups which are fighting the Houthi rebels believed to be backed by Iran. .
It added that the two leaders might have also discussed participation of special Sudanese forces in securing areas inside Yemen and training resistance groups.
The same sources further noted that Bashir’s talks in Riyadh tackled developments in Syria, pointing that Sudan is qualified to play a pivotal role to achieve political settlement in Syria due to its ties with Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
Ties between Khartoum and Riyadh appear to have warmed up after years of tense relations. Hours after Bashir’s visit to Riyadh last March, it was announced that Sudan has joined the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen.
Khartoum’s close ties with Tehran were the main cause of cool relations with Riyadh. Last year, Sudan closed Iranian cultural centres in the country which was seen as a gesture of goodwill towards Arab Gulf states.
Karti said in press statements at Khartoum airport upon return form Doha that the visit came to satisfy an invitation extended to Bashir by the Qatari Emir during their meeting on the sidelines of Egypt’s economic development conference held in Sharm El-Sheikh last March.
He disclosed that Bashir filled in Tamim on Sudan’s internal situation particularly the implementation of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) signed in Doha besides relations with South Sudan.
The foreign minister added that Bashir also briefed the Emir on his presidential program for the new term, stressing that the two sides agreed on the program.
According to Sudan’s top diplomat, Bashir expressed appreciation to Qatar’s government and peoples for their continued efforts to peace in Sudan, saying that DDPD met the entire demands of the people of Darfur.
Bashir also praised the role of Qatari investments in supporting Sudanese economy, saying it helped the country overcome economic shock caused by the secession of South Sudan which took with it 75% of the oil reserves.
The Sudanese president said the country would witness a new era of peace and stability, emphasizing that his government program until 2016 focuses on bringing rebellion and tribal conflicts to an end.
He added that the government also seeks to strengthen Sudan’s foreign relations with friendly countries in the region and in the international arena, saying that Sudan welcomes Qatari investments to achieve Arab food security.
Bashir further said that his government offered more than 2 million acres suitable for farming besides providing investment opportunities in natural gas and electricity production to support agricultural investments.
He called for upgrading economic cooperation to economic integration in order to achieve interests of the two peoples.
The Qatari Emir for his part thanked Bashir for his visit, expressing satisfaction with the convergence of views on current Arab, regional and international issues.
He described his country’s support to Sudan as a duty dictated by the fraternal ties between the two nations, stressing readiness to promote relations for the benefit of the two peoples.
Tamim announced Qatar’s agreement to launch additional investment projects in Sudan, expressing hope that Sudan achieves further stability, progress and prosperity.
Karti expected that the two countries would continue communication during the coming period through mutual visits of technical teams and officials to implement the agreements reached between the two sides.
(ST)
