Kenya, Sudan sign oil and mineral cooperation agreements
October 30, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan and Kenya on Sunday signed a number of agreements between the two countries in the fields of minerals and oil, in the presence of Presidents Omer al-Bashir and Uhuru Kenyatta.
Kenyatta left Khartoum on Sunday evening after a two-day official visit to Sudan. Bilateral meetings between the two sides began on Saturday evening after the arrival of the Kenyan leader and his delegations.
In a ceremony held at the Sudanese presidency on Sunday evening, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding for bilateral cooperation in the field of mineral resources and another deal for cooperation in the fields of oil and gas.
At the conclusion of the joint talks Kenyan Foreign Minister Amina Mohamed and Sudan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamal al-Din Ismail co-signed the final communiqué. Foreign Affairs Minister Ibrahim Ghandour is visiting in China.
Recently Kenya discovered oil in Kenya’s northern Kerio Valley. Nairobi sought to export the expected small production via a joint pipeline that the land-locked Uganda can finance to export its oil but Kampala preferred to partner with Tanzania.
President Omer al-Bashir thanked Kenyatta for visiting Khartoum saying his short visit to Sudan was full of activities. He further pointed that the establishment of an independent state in South Sudan didn’t affect the good relations between the two countries.
“We thank Kenya for its efforts during the peace talks (to end war between northern and southern Sudan) in Naivasha that ended a war lasted for twenty years,” Bashir stressed in remarks he delivered after the signing of the agreements:
“President Kenyatta promised us a longer visit (next time) and expressed his desire to visit the Meroe pyramids, Kenana sugar factory, the Gezira Scheme, and the complexes of military industry,” he added.
For his part, Kenyatta praised the progress Sudan achieved in the oil industry and the expansion of its infrastructure.
The Kenyan president paid a visit to the oil crude refinery in Khartoum state, where he was briefed on the advanced techniques used in the refining operations.
He praised the Sudanese long experience in the oil industry and associated industries, stressing his desire to transfer Sudan’s experience in the oil industry to his country.
The two leaders didn’t comment on the decisions of three African countries to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) which issued two arrest warrants against al-Bashir and indicted Kenyatta before to withdraw charges later.
(ST)