Bashir hails India’s supportive stance of Sudan

February 5, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir affirmed the solid ties between Khartoum and New Delhi and expressed his keenness to seeing them develop further.

This came during his meeting with the visiting Indian foreign minister Salman Khurshid in which he also expressed appreciation for India’s positions in support of the Sudan in international forums as well as development projects and services New Delhi provides.

Sudan’s foreign minister Ali Karti said that Khurshid assured Bashir that India will continue to provide programs and projects that help Sudan in its fight against poverty, noting that India is working in different areas in Sudan especially in the field of sugar, electricity production and distribution and offering scholarships to Sudanese students along with training.

Khurshid affirmed the eternal depth of relations between Sudan and India, stressing his country’s support for Sudan in international forums and platforms noting that his country is keen to strengthen its relations in fields of agriculture, education and electricity among others.

India’s top diplomat who arrived on Tuesday held talks yesterday with Karti that focused on trade and economic issues.

Khurshid noted that the trade volume between the two countries will reach nearly $1 billion by the end of the 2013-2014 fiscal year adding that he discussed with Karti cooperation in agriculture and manufacturing.

He said that Karti called on Delhi to make contributions in the field of alternative and solar energy to pump groundwater for use in agriculture areas where water is scarce.

The Indian top diplomat pointed out that India is an active partner in development projects in Sudan, especially in the sugar industry and the modernization of irrigation as well as their participation in the survey of different sites where minerals are believed to exist.

He also mentioned India’s funding of a thermal plant is expected to produce about 500 megawatts of energy and its help in help Sudan in livestock production, mechanisms, small industries, microfinance and self-employment.

Khurshid announced that the meetings of the joint committee with Sudan on political consultation will resume for the first time in eight years as well as the convening of the joint ministerial committee.

He stressed the need to address the disputes between Khartoum and Juba without interference or imposition of third-party solutions though he said his country is ready to provide expertise in the field of peace and crises settlement.

Karti on his end noted coordination and mutual support between India and Sudan in international and regional forums and added that the relationship between the two countries has been good over the past decades despite differences in political systems adding that Khartoum has been supporting India especially in its quest for reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

(ST)