South Sudan to join Arab League

March 6, 2018 (JUBA) – South Sudan has formally applied to join the League of Arab States reported the official Egyptian Middle East news agency (MENA) on Tuesday.

“The application will be presented to the Arab League Council at the level of foreign ministers in its 149th session at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the League (in Cairo) on Wednesday,” a diplomatic source told MENA.

If approved, South Sudan would be the 23rd member of the regional organization.

The use of the Arabic language as an official language is a prerequisite to joining the Arab body.

Besides Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti and Comoros are the other African states members of the League of Arab States.

South Sudanese officials several times in the past spoke about joining the Arab League. Also, there were several reports about the matter since the secession from Sudan in July 2011.

(ST)