South Sudan and UAE sign MoU on grant assistance

March 18, 2013 (ABU DHABI) – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with South Sudan pledging grant to build a number of schools and health centers in the new country.

The UAE government, through its development fund, will finance and build six modern boarding schools in South Sudan which will accommodate up to 1,800 boys and girls. Three medical centres will also be built by the UAE’s government, among others

South Sudan’s Vice President, Riek Machar, signed the document on Monday on behalf of his government while UAE government was represented by the head of Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi.

The MoU has requested South Sudan’s government to provide lands on which the proposed schools and medical centres can be built by UAE’s government as soon as possible.

The two countries expressed the need to establish and exchange diplomatic missions between the two nations. UAE government also pledged to shoulder the costs of establishing South Sudan’s embassy in the capital, Abu Dhabi, and its branch office in the commercial capital, Dubai.

Vice President’s press secretary James Gatdet Dak told Sudan Tribune that Machar also met with top business people in UAE, urging them to invest in developmental projects in South Sudan.

Among the priority projects discussed include agriculture and infrastructures. The proposed Tali international airport and Dr. John Garang’s memorial hospital were among the projects discussed during the visit.

(ST)