EX-US president Carter arrives in Khartoum for talks

January 20, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – Former US president Jimmy Carter has arrived in Khartoum on Monday on a four-day official visit, the Sudanese presidency announced.

Sudan’s presidential media secretary, Emad Sid Ahmed, said that Carter will meet with the Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir, on Tuesday, pointing that meeting agenda would focus on political issues and the situation in South Sudan.

Carter will meet on Wednesday with the national assembly speaker, Al-Fatih Izz Al-Deen, the presidential assistants, Abdel-Rahman Al-Mahdi, and Ibrahim Ghandour, the health minister, Bahar Idris Abu Garda and minister of foreign affairs, Ali Karti.

Sudan’s foreign ministry said the visit is a continuation of previous ones to the country, pointing that it will focus on several issues, including combating Guinea worm disease and Sudan’s 2015 general elections besides sponsoring a dialogue initiative between intellectuals of Sudan and South Sudan.

In 1982, Carter and his wife founded the Carter Center which is a nongovernmental, not-for-profit organisation. In partnership with Emory University, the Carter Center works to advance human rights and alleviate human suffering.

Since 1995, the Carter Center has worked to help reduce cases of Guinea worm disease in Sudan and South Sudan through its Guinea Worm Eradication Program.

The Carter Center organised an observation team with more than 70 observers who monitored the 2010 election process in all 25 states in Sudan.

Last March, the Carter Center launched a series of dialogues between prominent leaders from Sudan and South Sudan, aimed at strengthening peace and creating lasting understanding between the two countries.

(ST)