Saudi Arabia agrees to fund dams, agriculture and electricity projects in Sudan

November 3, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan and Saudi Arabia signed Tuesday in Riyadh four framework agreements related to agriculture, electricity, drinking water and dams in the presence of President Omer al-Bashir and King Salman bin Abdulaziz.

Bashir , who arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday, has discussed with the Saudi King ways for promoting bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries besides the recent developments in the region.

Following the meeting, the two governments signed four framework agreements including one on building a thermal power station to produce 1000 Megawatts in Sudan’s Red Sea state.

The second agreement pertains to the provision of water and thirst removal in Sudan’s rural areas according to the 2015-2020 plan besides an agreement for funding Kajbar, Dal and Al-Shiraik water dams.

The three agreements were signed by Sudan’s minister of finance and economic planning Badr al-Din Mahomud and the Saudi minister of finance Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz Al-Assaf.

Also, a fourth agreement on investment in upper Atbara agricultural project was signed by the Saudi minister of agriculture Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadhli and Sudan’s minister of electricity and water resources Muataz Musa.

It is noteworthy that Bashir’s accompanying delegation included the army chief of staff, Mustafa Osman Obaid, foreign minister, Ibrahim Ghandour, finance minister, Badr al-Din Mahmoud, minister of electricity and water resources, Muataz Musa, state presidential minister, Fadl Abdallah and president’s office director, Taha Osman.

Sudanese-Saudi relations have witnessed a thaw in recent months after years of tensions over Khartoum’s close ties with Tehran that saw Iranian warships dock several times in Port Sudan.

Last March, Sudan joined the Saudi-led military coalition against Houthi rebels who are accused by Riyadh of being a proxy to Iran in the region.

(ST)