Sudan, Egypt to boost bilateral relations
April 15, 2007 (CAIRO) — Sudanese Egyptian body will hold next week a regular meeting to discuss implementation of bilateral agreements and joint economic projects.
The fifth meeting of the joint Egyptian-Sudanese committee will be held in Khartoum on 18-19 April to discuss bilateral cooperation with the aim of achieving economic integration mainly in the fields of agriculture, irrigation and industry.
The Egyptian delegation will be headed by the Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif while the Sudanese Vice-President Ali Osman Taha will lead the Sudanese side.
This meeting was scheduled to be held in Khartoum mid-February but it had being unexpectedly postponed to March and after to April.
The joint Egyptian Sudanese Committee will discuss the completion of Jonglei project, the cultivation of 300,000 feddans in Sudan besides carrying out projects in the fields of industry infrastructures, petroleum, gas, and higher education, as well as the conclusion of new agreements.
The Egyptian delegation to the committee meetings, which will open next Wednesday, will include the Ministers of Agriculture, Petroleum, Electricity, International Cooperation, Education, Transport, the Cabinet Secretary General and a number of businessmen.
Egypt is expected to reiterate its keenness on achieving unity and stability in its neighbouring country. Egypt has shown willingness to invest in southern Sudan. Among projects Egypt is seeking to implement there is an Alexandria University in Juba (AUJ), power generation stations, roads and hospitals.
Egypt also wants to open a consulate in Juba. As for economy, the committee will be looking into means of increasing the volume of trade exchange.
The committee will also be probing better cooperation in the field of education, health, information, youth and sports, social affairs, scientific research, culture, insurance and communications.
A four-freedom agreement will also figure high. The two Nile countries agreed in 2004 to allow their nationals to enjoy equal rights of movement, residence, work and ownership in order to achieve economic integration.
The two countries will discuss means of activating an Egyptian-Sudanese Business Council to help push forward trade and investment relations. Egypt and Sudan are seeking to establish joint projects in the field of health, and to carry out joint projects in the health, communications, oil and food sectors.
The two sides will also see how they can benefit from their shared water way to facilitate trade and transport movements.
(ST)