Sudan, Egypt fail to implement 4 freedoms pact
April 20, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan and Egypt have signed 13 cooperation agreements, signalling a renewed warmth in relations between the two neighbours. However, the two parties have failed to implement the four freedoms agreement.
Sudanese Vice President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha and Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif signed Thursday the agreements covering cooperation in the maritime, education and culture sectors after the fifth session of the two countries’ joint commission.
Nonetheless, the High Sudanese Egyptian committee failed to reach to settle the implementation of the Four Freedoms Agreement signed in July 2004. Egypt suggested implementing the agreement gradually while Sudan wants immediate implementation.
Cairo fears refugees from Darfur region would come massively to Egypt. It also seems that the opening of Sudanese border would facilitate the movement of terrorist groups in Egypt.
The Four Freedom Agreement guarantees to citizens from the two countries freedom of movement and residence, right to work and property, it was signed in Cairo by presidents Mubarak and al-Bashir on 18 January 2004.
Sudanese Vice-President Ali Osman Taha and Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmad Nazif held a press conference at the end of the committee’s meetings in which they avoided talking about pending issues. The Ministers of International Cooperation of the two countries, Tagani Salih Fidail and Mrs Fayiza Abu-al-Naja, refused to classify as a failure their inability to resolve the pending issues.
Taha told the press conference that the understandings reached during the meetings push bilateral relations towards broader horizons. Nazif said Egypt was serious about doubling efforts to raise the standards of living in the two countries.
He said Egyptian investments in Sudan which have surpassed one billion dollars represented a start in this direction. On the issue of visas, he said matters were progressing and that the implementation of the abolishment of the visa was taking place gradually.
The meetings marked a rapprochement between the two neighbours whose relations were strained earlier this year when Sudan accused Egypt of failing to support its candidacy for the presidency of the African Union, which eventually went to Ghana.
(ST)