Sudan to inaugurate new presidential palace on Monday

January 25, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir and his staff will officially move on Monday to the new presidential palace that was constructed by a Chinese company and funded by Beijing.

The date coincides with the anniversary Khartoum’s liberation from British occupation by forces loyal to religious figure Mohamed Ahmed al-Mahdi in 1885 and the killing of General Charles Gordon in what is now the presidential palace.

Bashir will inaugurate the new palace in the presence of 1st Vice-President General Bakri Hassan Saleh and 2nd VP Hassabo Abdel-Rahman along with other executive and parliamentary officials and foreign dignitaries and diplomats.

The presidential press secretary Emad Sid Ahmed said that the new palace “is a source of pride for Sudanese and affirmation of the continued process of development and construction” adding that it reflects the heritage and authenticity of the Sudanese people.

The three storey palace, which is located next to the old one along the Blue Nile River, has the capacity to host international summits and features huge ballrooms to receive visiting leaders in a total area of about 18,600 square meters and surrounded by 15,000 meters of gardens.

The work on the new palace started in 2010 and was officially completed last September. It was offered to Sudan during a visit by then Chinese president Hu Jintao in 2007.

(ST)