Sudan and Egypt prepare for supreme joint committee meeting
March 18, 2008 (CAIRO) — Sudanese and Egyptian officials met in Cairo yesterday to discuss preparations for the supreme joint committee meeting to be held during late May.
The Sudanese minister for International cooperation Al-Tigani Saleh Fidail arrived in Cairo for meetings with his Egyptian counterpart Fayza Abu Al-Naga as well as other ministers including Sameh Fahmi, minister of Petroleum.
Fidail said i a pres statement that his meetings with focus on food security, infrastructure and human development.
The Sudanese official he discussed with the Egyptian petroleum minister the various methods of generating energy such as the use of corn-based fuel and winds. A project to run a gas pipeline through southern Egypt was also on the agenda.
However both sides acknowledged the need to involve the private sector in such a huge project requiring substantial capital investment. Fahmi also expressed his readiness to hold Sudanese candidates in the Egyptian petroleum companies.
Fidail said that both countries are due to agree on a joint agricultural project by which Sudan would grow the crops needed by Egypt which will guarantee its marketing while filling any potential gap.
His Egyptian counterpart also said that there are ideas on how to make use of Sudan’s livestock wealth through the inauguration of major factory jointly funded.
Cairo has recently lifted a ban on Sudanese livestock following the outbreak of Rift Valley Fever.
The Sudanese official also noted that the development of transportation projects are underway at the borders but said more is needed to enhance commercial links.
(ST)