South Sudan to open liaison office in Egypt

March 4, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — The Government of South Sudan (GoSS) intends to open a liaison office in Cairo to represent its interests in Egypt and the Arab League.

Permona Makuek, an official at the Ministry of Regional Cooperation in the southern Sudan government, is expected to head the office. Makuek visited Cairo recently to find suitable premises. He is expected to return after three weeks to take up his post.

Sources within the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) said the mission of the southern office in Cairo was to represent the government of the south, encourage Arab investment in the south, strengthen ties with Egypt and other Arab states and to follow up on signed accords.

The decision by the GoSS recently to open a representative office in Washington caused extensive reaction in Khartoum with claims it was a rival embassy. The SPLM had at the time responded by saying this was permissible under the peace accord signed between the movement and the ruling party National Congress in 2005.

Southern Sudan liaison offices abroad work under the authority of the Ministry for Regional Cooperation. They have no diplomatic status. They shall only be entitled to diplomatic privileges and immunities if they become part and parcel of Sudan’s diplomatic mission to the country concerned.

The Government of Southern Sudan is expecting to open other offices in United Kingdom and Ethiopia during this year.

(ST)