Arab League to hold conference for development in South Sudan
By James Gatdet Dak
October 17, 2008 (JUBA) – Arab countries will hold a conference for development and investment in southern Sudan during the first trimester of next year. The meeting is expected to be organized in the Arab emirates state.
Arab League is expected to hold a conference for development and investment in Southern Sudan and the three transitional areas of Abyei, Southern Kordufan and Southern Blue Nile in February or March next year, according to the Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Gabriel Changson Chang.
In March this year in Damascus, Syria, Arab League Summit passed resolution No. 421, calling for an Arab Conference on Development and Investment in Southern Sudan.
In August, a preparatory meeting on the initiative was held between the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) – in coordination with the Government of National Unity (GoNU) – and the Arab League at its General Secretariat in Cairo, Egypt.
In the Friday’s Council of Ministers meeting chaired by the Vice President, Riek Machar Teny, the Council resolved to direct Government institutions to make necessary preparations for the Conference which aims at attracting Arab governments’ donors and investors as well as their private companies to invest in Southern Sudan.
Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was proposed by GoSS as the venue for the Conference.
According to the Minister for Regional Cooperation, Barnaba Marial Benjamin, it was also agreed in principle that the African Union Commission on the Post-Conflict Reconstruction of the Sudan as well as international bodies and organizations with expertise in the area of development in Southern Sudan would also be invited to participate as observers in the Conference.
Need for exchange visits to Juba by members of Arab League states to acquaint themselves with the development and investment needs of Southern Sudan and the three transitional areas, prior to the conduct of the Conference, was also cited.
(ST)