Libya opens consulate in South Sudan’s Juba
April 3, 2007 (JUBA) — A high ranking Libya delegation today visited Juba to celebrate the opening of a consulate in the capital of southern Sudan. Libya wants to enhance joint economic and cultural cooperation with the South, said the head of the visiting delegation.
In a speech he delivered Tuesday evening in Juba in the celebrations for the opening of the consulate, Tiriki said that the opening of the Libyan consulate will boost opportunities of joint cooperation between Libya and Southern Sudan. He affirmed that the coming period will witness the beginning of economic, cultural and social cooperation with the south.
Al-Tiriki said the opening of the consulate came at a time when the country is enjoying peace that resulted from the Naivasha agreement, adding that Arabs and Africans are both committed to realizing peace in Africa. He pointed out that Africans were able to solve their own problems.
The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports at the Government of Southern Sudan John Luk expressed pleasure over the opening of the Libyan Consulate, affirming the deeply rooted relations linking the two sisterly peoples.
He praised the Libyan efforts for solving Darfur problem and supporting peace in southern Sudan.
Presidential adviser, Mansour Khaled; said in a press statement that the opening of the Libyan consulate comes in the context of Arab countries commitment to participate in the development of Southern Sudan.
The celebrations were attended by presidential advisers Mansour Khalid and Mustafa Osman Ismail, and Investment Minister Malik Agar alongside high-ranking Libyan officials, as well as a high-level Libyan delegation and a number of members of the government and parliament of southern Sudan.
Libya was one of the rare Arabic countries to support the Sudan Liberation Movement in the paste Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi and the late Dr John Garang had a close relation since the eighties up to the signing of the CPA.
(ST)