Kenyatta to visit Sudan next year
December 20, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta will pay an official visit to Sudan during the next two months, announced the Sudanese foreign minister Ibrahim Ghandour, Sunday.
He further said the two sides also discussed preparations for President Kenyatta’s visit to Sudan which is expected to take place in January or February.
The minister pointed that the two sides had expressed identical views on all issues they discussed, saying the two nations are keeping continuous coordination on regional and international issues.
He said the committee also discussed possible participation of Sudan as observer in the upcoming summit of the East African Community (EAC).
Sudan had applied to join the EAC in December 2011, but Tanzania and Uganda rejected it saying it had no direct border with the state members. They also pointed to its difficult relations with Uganda and South Sudan. The latter is expected to join the regional body soon.
Kenya’s foreign minister, Amina Mohamed , who chaired her country’s side to the talks , said the two sides agreed to upgrade bilateral relations to the highest levels..
“We have discussed regional and international issues , and we have identical positions ,’’ she said.
The visiting minister further underscored Sudan’s importance for Kenya saying “it is strategically important for us’’.
The bilateral talks centred on trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, and coordination at the regional and international stages, she said.
Mohamed said the two sides had , in particular, reaffirmed the need to do their best to prevent the nascent state of South Sudan from collapse.
On Monday the two sides will sign a number of agreements and memos of understanding and ways of implementing them.
(ST)