Sanaa Forum experts meeting kicks off in Khartoum
December 27, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — Experts meeting of Sanaa Cooperation Forum has begun today in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, to prepare a summit that will take place here on Tuesday December 30.
The summit will gather leaders of the four member states, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan and, Yemen, and Djibouti which will attend for the first time. Eritrea has been invited to join the forum but declined the invitation.
The six-year-old Saana Grouping will discuss in Khartoum summit implementation of earlier agreements, Somalia and Darfur crisis besides Eritrea-Ethiopia border dispute.
The head of the Sudanese delegation, Najat Hassan, who is also Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce, stressed the importance of coordination and cooperation between the countries of the group in terms of strengthening the linkages. She also underscored the importance to reach effective proposals to be submitted for the summit, especially with respect to the operationalization of regional projects needed by the citizens of the region, especially in the areas of communications, transport and trade.
Ethiopia, the out going president of the summit, enlightened the meeting about the achievements made by the Forum during the last year, and expressed hopes that Khartoum meeting would be an opportunity to improve and evaluate what has been achieved and to redouble efforts during the next stage.
The Somali delegation presented a report about the latest political development in the war-torn country. But, the Yemeni side stressed on the need to achieve the Somali reconciliation and establish political stability there. He also urged to discuss means to enhance regional security within the challenge of piracy.
Founded in 2002 in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, the forum is aimed at enhancing security, political and economic cooperation in the volatile region.
(ST)