South Sudan seeks to bolster military cooperation with Egypt

September 30, 2015 (JUBA)- South Sudan’s Minister of Defence Kuol Manyang Juuk is in Cairo for talks on ways to enhance military strategic cooperation with Egypt.

Juuk’s visit, according to the spokesperson of the government forces comes within the framework of the 2014 military cooperation in which the two sides agreed to develop strategic ties in areas covering military training, armament and exchange visit of high ranking military personnel.

Also, the four-day visit is expected to concentrate on how the two countries could work together to develop military cooperation and assess the progress made in the agreement which they have signed more than one year ago.

A military attaché at South Sudanese embassy currently visiting Juba from Cairo, Egypt, told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday that the embassy has worked to persuade Egyptian authorities to show commitment to working with the government of South Sudan in areas of defence, water, trade, electricity, education and health.

These fields, he added, represent the key areas in which the two countries should try to consolidate mutual trust, promote concrete cooperation, and strengthen communication on major international and regional affairs.

“The office of military attaché has worked collaboratively with the ambassador to persuade Egyptian authorities over the past years to adopt pragmatic cooperation with us on a host of bilateral issues, including military-to-military relations such as high-level visits, joint exercises and professional communication,” he said.

The official further said that Egyptian authorities have always expressed willingness to expand cooperation to maintaining regional peace and stability within the framework of a stated goal advocating for a peaceful, stable, viable and progressive nation capable of defending and protecting its national sovereignty.

(ST)