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Australia wants to deposit $7 billion in Sudan central bank: minister

An employee of a money changer holds a stack of U.S. Dollar notes before giving it to a customer in Jakarta, October 8, 2015. (Reuters Photo)
An employee of a money changer holds a stack of U.S. Dollar notes before giving it to a customer in Jakarta, October 8, 2015. (Reuters Photo)

March 14, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – A Sudanese minister Wednesday said Australia has offered to deposit seven billion dollars in the Sudan central bank and to dedicate four others in the mining industry.

Minerals Minister Hashim Ali Salim told reporters following a meeting with President Omer al-Bashir that they received an offer of 11 billion from Australia which has shown its interest to invest in gold industry in Sudan, the second gold producer in Africa.

He said the offer provides to support the dollar-hungry Bank of Sudan with seven billion to relieve the acute shortage of hard currency in the east African country.

He added that other four billion will be invested in the mining industry.

During a visit to Khartoum in November 2017, the Australian non-resident Ambassador to Sudan and Egypt Neil Hawkins discussed with Minister Salim investment in gold industry after the lift of U.S. sanctions on Sudan.

He disclosed that five of the largest Australian mining firms want to work in Sudan.

On Tuesday, the official news agency SUNA said that the central bank received a deposit of some 1.4 billion U.S. dollars from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

However, it appeared that SUNA confused a statement by the UAE government retrieving the hard currency that it deposited in the Bank of Sudan during the past year 2017.

(ST)

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