Sudan’s presidential aide for Chinese affaires denies overlap with foreign ministry

February 14, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese presidential assistant for Chinese affaires, Awad al-Jaz has denied any overlap between his new mission and the foreign ministry with regard to the strategic relations between Beijing and Khartoum.

Earlier this month, President Omer al-Bashir appointed his former oil minister al-Jaz at the head of a special committee tasked with the politic, economic and military relations with China.

The decision was met with mixed reactions. Some say it reduces the attributions of foreign ministry and disperse the government’s efforts as the two organs will share the same objective.

However, its supporters sees it as necessary and say that the strategic relations between the two countries are more than diplomatic as they point to crucial economic interests and investments besides the military cooperation.

In statements after his first meeting with the foreign minister Ibrahim Ghandour on Sunday, al-Jaz told reporters that his appointment will not create any inference in the activities of foreign ministry or pulls the rug from under their feet as the first responsible of external relations.

Jazz further said that the formation of special committee for Chinese affaires aims to coordinate with other ministries except the foreign affairs.

He added that the new committee works as one team with the other institutions to implement the government’s programmes.

“We met with the foreign minister to organize attributions, considering that in accordance with (our) mandate the task (of the committee) is to develop political, economic, cultural, social and diplomatic side,” he further said.

He said their meeting, which was attended by the Sudanese ambassador to China, agreed to coordinate and develop in harmony the actions of the new committee and the ministry.

He disclosed that he had met with the minister of agriculture and announced that the Chinese minister of agriculture would visit Sudan soon.

He added that the meeting meant to organize the visit and to avoid any overlap, stressing that anything with China should be done through his committee.

On 21 January, the Sudanese former Oil Minister, al-Jaz, was among ten Arab figures rewarded by the Chinese President Xi Jinping for developing relations between their countries and China.

China is the first Sudan’s trade partner as it imports Sudanese oil and exports products and armaments to the east African nation.

(ST)