Bulgaria and Sudan agree to develop trade and economic relations
July 29, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – Bulgaria and Sudan agreed to enhance bilateral relations and to develop trade and economic relations, said the Sudanese foreign ministry on Saturday.
Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour who is the first senior Sudanese official to visit the east European country in decades concluded a three-day visit to Sofia where he held a series of talks with the Vice President Iliana Iotova, and his counterpart Ekaterina Zaharieva who is also the deputy prime minister.
In a meeting on Thursday, Zaharieva welcomed Sudan efforts to combat illegal migration and human trafficking adding that Ghandour visit “would open a new chapter in the relations between the two countries”.
The two officials further discussed the organisation of joint political consultations and deepening of cooperation in trade and education and signed a Memorandum of Understanding between their two foreign ministries.
The Sudanese foreign ministry on Saturday said the Bulgarian vice president during her meeting with Ghandour on Friday reviewed the areas of economic cooperation and welcomed the agreement to organise a joint Sudanese-Bulgarian economic forum in the coming autumn in Khartoum.
Iotova recalled the past education cooperation between the two countries, pointing that over 3,000 Sudanese studied in Bulgarian universities and many of them are now playing important role in the country.
She further said that strengthening of bilateral cooperation in the area of higher education will get the support of all state institutions in Bulgaria.
The Sudanese minister also met with Bulgaria’s speaker of parliament Dimitar Glavchev and the head of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Tsvetan Simeonov.
According to the spokesperson of the foreign ministry, Glavchev accepted an invitation to visit the Sudan extended by the speaker of the National Assembly Ibrahim Ahmed Omer.
Bulgaria was one of the first to recognise Sudan’s independence in 1956. Since, the two countries had strong economic relations. Bulgaria was also one of the main weapon providers to the Sudanese governments until the UN sanctions on Sudan.
(ST)