Belgium government to extend bilateral relations to S. Sudan
By John Actually
December 18, 2011 (KAMPALA) – Belgium’s 15-day-old government is preparing to appoint its first ambassador to the newly independent South Sudan.
Marc Gedopt, the country’s current ambassador to Uganda, disclosed the move taken by his government, last week in Kampala.
Gedopt hopes his new role will be approved in collaboration with South Sudan government early next year.
According to Gedopt, his country will help in building the new nation, South Sudan.
He said he will move to South Sudan’s capital, Juba, to meet President Kiir to create a dialogue in January.
South Sudan, which gained independence on 9 July this year, following a plebiscite in which citizens voted by 98 percent to secede from Sudan.
Belgium, until recently had been run by a caretaker administration, headed by the hereditary monarch, since the last government resigned in April 2010.
The new Prime Minister, Elio Di Rupo, a French-speaking Socialist, took the oath of office 6 December to end a record of 541 days of political deadlock.
(ST)