Senior US coast guard delegation to visit Sudan: official

May 16, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The director general of Sudan’s Sea Ports Corporation (SPC), Jalal al-Din Mohamed Shulia, said that a high-level team from the United States Coast Guard will arrive in Port Sudan during the upcoming days.

In statements to the Khartoum-based Al-Sudani newspaper on Saturday, Shulia said the visit of the US team comes within the framework of the constructive cooperation between the two sides and to continue discussions on several common issues pertaining to the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code.

He further said they would discuss with the visiting US delegation possibility of maintaining some communications equipments besides issues of security and safety at the SPC.

He added the US delegation would discuss with the competent ISPS’s security committee the course of action and security applications as well as ways for making the necessary coordination for the implementation of the navigational procedures.

SPC director pointed out that the US team would visit the southern port in Port Sudan besides Al-Khair and Bashair ports on the Red Sea.

He noted the team would also hold meetings with several bodies including SPC’s top management, ISPS officials, and the committee tasked with the implementation of the ISPS requirements.

Shulia expected the SPC would gain numerous benefits from the visit in the domains of security and safety, saying US team comes within the framework of the mutual visits between the SPC and the US Coast Guard.

Sudan is on the US list of countries supporting terrorism since 1993 and also subjected to economic sanctions since 1997.

However, Washington admitted Khartoum cooperation to combat terrorism but maintains the sanctions to bring the government of president Omer Bashir to end armed conflicts in Sudan and achieve democratic reforms.

(ST)