Sudan’s 1st VP Taha heads to Turkey

September 29, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese 1st Vice President Ali Osman Taha left for Turkey to participate in the annual congress of the country’s ruling Justice and Development Party, state media reported Saturday.

Taha will be accompanied by former foreign minister Mustafa Osman Ismail who heads Sudan’s supreme investment council and the National Congress Party (NCP) external relations officer Ibrahim Ghandour.

Sudan’s official news agency (SUNA) said that the visit comes to satisfy an invitation by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Foreign dignitaries who are expected to attend the congress at a sports arena in the capital, Ankara, on Sunday include Egypt’s new president Mohammed Morsi, Kyrgyzstan President Almazbek Atambaev, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Usame al-Nujaifi, Khaled Mashaal, the head of the Hamas movement in exile, former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and former Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

SUNA did not say whether Taha will meet with Erdogan during his visit.

(ST)