Iran, Sudan Review Expansion Of Economic Cooperation
TEHRAN, Jul 29, 2003 (AsiaPulse) — The seventh Iran-Sudan joint economic, cultural and technical cooperation commission meeting kicked off in Tehran on Sunday.
Iran’s Minister of Agriculture, Jihad Mahmoud Hojjati, chaired the joint meeting in which a number of high ranking Iranian and Sudanese officials from governmental and private sectors have taken part.
The sixth Iran-Sudan joint economic commission meeting was held in Khartoum last year.
In the inauguration ceremony, Hojjati called presence of the two sides high ranking officials as sign of suitable grounds for expansion of mutual economic cooperation.
He expressed hope that the current meeting would help remove existing problems marring expansion of economic, cultural and technical cooperation between the two countries.
The sixth joint economic commission meeting fell short of the two sides expectations on broadening mutual economic cooperation, he said.
The Islamic Republic of Iran is willing to bolster technical and economic cooperation with Sudan, he said.
Iran is ready to sign various MoUs on commerce, sea and road transportation, customs affairs, livestock breeding and fisheries with the Sudanese side, he said.
The volume of trade exchange between Iran and Sudan stood at US$30 million last year, he said.
Over 80 per cent of reconstructed locomotives as well as new wagons demanded by Sudan will be delivered to the country, he said.
He expressed dissatisfaction over the trend of cooperation in the telecommunications sector.
On agricultural cooperation, Iran has held many training courses for Sudanese farmers and experts on the sectors, he said.
The seventh Iran-Sudan economic, cultural and technical cooperation commission meeting will conclude on July 30