Sudan’s Bashir to attend China-Africa cooperation forum
August 30, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese President Omer Hassan al-Bashir will lead his country’s delegation to the China-Africa Cooperation Forum (FOCAC) that will kick off in Beijing early next week.
The 3rd FOCAC summit will also witness the participation of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Secretary-General of the United Nations and 27 regional and international organizations.
Bashir is also scheduled to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping before the official opening of the summit to review bilateral work within the framework of the strategic partnership agreement signed during his most recent visit to Beijing.
He will also meet with the Chinese Vice-President to discuss the implementation of joint projects and initiatives put forward by Jinping that reflects his vision for the bilateral relationship.
Awad al-Jazz, deputy chairman of the supreme committee on the supervision of Sudan’s with BRICS countries and a member of the delegation, disclosed that Bashir will visit one of the Chinese provinces in the context of twinning with Sudanese states.
He pointed out that the joint committees between the two countries, which include the ministerial committee, the energy committee and the economic committee, will hold meetings to discuss the promotion of prospects for cooperation between the two sides.
The Sudanese delegation will also include the minister of the Presidency Fadl Abdullah Fadl, minister of Water Resources and Irrigation and Electricity Moatez Moussa and minister of state for the Presidency Hatem Hassan Bakhit.
In Beijing, they will be joined by the advance delegation comprised of the Sudanese Finance minister Mohamed Osman al-Rikabi, minister of Oil and Gas Azhari Abdul-Qadir, minister of Transport Makkawi Mohammed al-Awad and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Osama Faisal.
Topping the agenda at this annual meeting is China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which aims at building a trade and transportation network that would connect Asia, Europe and Africa along the ancient Silk Road trade routes.
The initiative launched by China in 2013, includes Ethiopia and Somalia from East Africa with the purpose of granting better access to Chinese goods and strengthening its economic presence around the world.
Al-Jazz told Xinhua news agency in an interview that Sudan was among the first countries to support the initiative and committed to actively participate in its construction.
The summit will also discuss the African Union’s Agenda 2063 as well as the various strategies of African countries aimed at achieving win-win cooperation and opening new horizons for common development.
(ST)