Sudan’s defence minister hails strong relations with UAE
October 14, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s Defence Minister Awad Ibn Ouf has praised bilateral relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) describing it as strong and extended.
On Sunday, Ibn Ouf received the UAE Ambassador to Khartoum Hamad Mohammed Al-Junaibi in the presence of the newly appointed military attaché Ajlan Obied.
During the meeting, Ibn Ouf welcomed the newly appointed military attaché, wishing him success in his new position.
He underscored that bilateral relations between Sudan and the UAE are developing steadily.
Sudan managed to achieve a breakthrough in ties with UAE after a long period of strained relations over Khartoum’s close ties with Tehran.
UAE is in a long-standing territorial dispute with Iran over the three Gulf islands of Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunb.
Iran refuses international arbitration over the dispute and insists that its sovereignty over the islands is non-negotiable.
In 2014, Sudanese authorities ordered the closure of Iranian cultural centre in the capital Khartoum, and other states in a move which was seen as a gesture to the Arab Gulf states.
The estimated size of UAE investments in Sudan is $11 billion approximately, of which about $5 billion are projects in progress while the rest are still in the pre-execution phase.
In May 2015, Sudan said it offered UAE’s companies $59 billion in investment opportunities mainly in agricultural projects.
(ST)