South Sudan’s President in Khartoum for bilateral talks
November 1, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit has arrived in Khartoum on Wednesday on a two-day official visit to discuss bilateral relations between the two countries.
He was received by the Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir at Khartoum airport where the two presidents held a closed meeting.
In joint statements with his South Sudanese counterpart, Sudan’s Information Minister Ahmed Bilal Osman said Kiir’s visit to Khartoum “lays a foundation for a new phase in relations between the two countries”.
He expressed hope the visit would “set the framework for stable relations and push forward the work for the stability and prosperity of both peoples”.
Osman pointed out that the discussions which took place between South Sudan’s ministerial delegation and the Sudanese side in Khartoum during the past couple of days have reached joint visions and understandings laying the foundation for a new future for the two peoples.
He said the two presidents will hold a joint press conference at the Presidential Palace on Thursday at the conclusions of talks, saying a number of cooperation agreements would also be signed.
For his part, South Sudan’s Information Minister, Michael Makuei Lueth, described President Kiir’s visit to Khartoum as “important and historic”, saying it would positively contribute to the normalization of ties between the two countries.
He added the “situation requires the two countries to cooperate and work together for the common good”, pointing out the South Sudanese delegation has reached common understandings to promote bilateral relations and activate the Cooperation Agreements signed between the two countries 2012.
South Sudan, which separated from Sudan after a referendum in 2011, plunged into civil war in December 2013.Thousands of civilians were killed and over millions have been displaced.
(ST)