Sudan’s Bashir in Ethiopia for AU summit

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

January 29, 2014 (ADDIS ABABA) – Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir arrived in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on Wednesday where he is heading a delegation at an African Union (AU) summit on agriculture and food security.

Bashir received a warm welcome by Abdulfetah Abdulahi , Ethiopia’s minister of labour and social affairs and Mekonnen Manyazewal, chief of the national planning commission, following his arrival in the capital.

The Sudanese president has since held meetings with Ethiopian prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn, on bilateral and regional concerns.

According to a senior government official who attended the meeting, the two sides expressed a keen interest in boosting existing relations between the two countries, particularly in the areas of transport and power supply.

Bashir has commended Ethiopia’s continued efforts to bring durable peace and stability across the volatile East African region.

He said Ethiopia’s contribution to regional peace, including its role in mediating the crisis in South Sudan crisis, was significant.

A number of African leaders have arrived in Addis Ababa ahead of the 22nd African Union Ordinary Session of Assembly, due to kick off on Thursday.

The summit is being under the theme, “Transforming Africa’s Agriculture: Harnessing Opportunities for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development”.

However, the South Sudan crises, as well as conflicts in the Central African Republic (CAR) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are also expected to be on top of the agenda.

South Sudanese president Salva Kiir will make a statement at the opening session on Thursday following a report on the current situation in the country by the African Union Commission chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.

(ST)