Jamaica and Sudan establish diplomatic ties

Sept 20, 2005 (KINGSTON, Jamaica) — Jamaica and the Republic of Sudan have established diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level.

Foreign Affairs Ministers K.D. Knight of Jamaica and Mustafa Osman Ismail of the Republic of Sudan signed the agreement on Monday 19 September, establishing diplomatic relations between both countries.

“Jamaica and the Republic of Sudan are fully convinced that the establishment of diplomatic relations corresponds to the interest of the two states and will further strengthen international peace and security,” said a joint communique issued after the signing ceremony in New York.

Knight said that the historic signing was the conclusion of discussions he had with the Sudanese Foreign Minister during a meeting at the UN Headquarters in New York last year.

He noted that Sudan was a member of the United Nations, the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group, the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Group of 77 and China, making the signing a formality.

“I think we stand to benefit at the bilateral level in that the Sudanese have made great strides in the sugar industry and I think there is a lot we can learn from them, the Caribbean Media Corporation news agency reported. They have gone into the production of sugar for just 25 years and what they have done is amazing,” Knight said.

Knight who is leading Jamaica’s delegation at the 60th session of the UN General Assembly, said that representation would be non-residential with the Jamaican Ambassador to Brussels, Belgium taking on the responsibility for the Republic of Sudan.

(CMC/ST)