Cairo urges Khartoum to lift ban on imports of Egyptian farming products

January 27, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – Egypt’s government on Friday has called on Sudan to lift all restrictions on Egyptian agricultural exports to Sudan and to review the lists of “negative commodities”.

Last September, Sudanese government temporarily suspended all imports of vegetables, fruit and fish from Egypt following U.S. reports about cases of strawberries from Egypt causing chronic hepatitis and other diseases.

Also, seven countries including Kuwait, Jordan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Japan have taken strict measures banning imports of Egyptian agricultural products.

Egypt’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zaid said that a meeting between Sudan’s Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shokry has called for the importance to consider the removal of all Sudanese restrictions on Egypt’s farming products in order to support trade between the two nations.

According to Abu Zaid, the meeting was held on the sidelines of the 30th regular session of the African Union’s executive board in Addis Ababa.

He pointed that Shokry expressed Egypt’s desire to hold the meeting of the political, security and consular committee between the two nations in Khartoum.

“Egypt is keen to coordinate with the Sudanese side in all international forums and organizations in light of the historic ties between the two nations,” he added.

The spokesperson stressed that Egypt wouldn’t be misled by attempts to drive a wedge between the two countries, saying Cairo seeks to strengthen the joint cooperation with Khartoum.

He also underscored Egypt keenness to coordinate with Sudan within the framework of the talks on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, pointing to the importance to complete the dam’s technical studies.

(ST)