Strategic outcomes of PM Madbouly’s visit to Sudan

CAIRO – 16 August 2020: Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly had a fruitful visit Saturday to Sudan accompanied by a ministerial delegation.

The Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok along with other Sudanese officials received Madbouly upon his arrival in Khartoum International Airport.

The ensuing bilateral talks touched multiple strategic files of common interests such as transportation, trade, education, and the Ethiopian dam. The talks ended with several agreements to boost relations between the two brotherly nations, according to a statement.

Here is part of the official statement on the meetings:

“As part of the continuing communication and consultation between the governments of the Egyptian Arab Republic and Sudan Republic, and the common interest of the two brotherly countries, the Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly arrived Saturday August 15 in Khartoum in an official visit to Sudan, accompanied by a high-level delegation that includes ministers of Electricity, Irrigation and Water Resources, Health and Population, Trade and Industry, and senior officials in the aforementioned ministries.

Sudanese Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok, and other ministers received the Egyptian Prime Minister at Khartoum International Airport.

This important visit comes as a response to the visit made by Abdalla Hamdok to Egypt in September 2019, and to promote cooperation between the two brotherly countries.

Prime Ministers Hamdok and Madbouly presided the bilateral session of talks that discussed means of cooperation between the two nations during the upcoming period. The ministers from the two countries had as well bilateral meetings to discuss suggestions and detailed programs of cooperation between ministries.

The Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly reiterated Egypt’s firm commitment to the support of the transitional period in Sudan, and the Sudanese people’s aspiration to progress, prosperity, and realizing the goals of the glorious December 19 revolution. He also expressed his appreciation for Sudanese government’s generous hospitality and pleasant reception.

On his part, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok welcomed the visit of his Egyptian counterpart and the delegation accompanying him, asserting Sudan’s readiness to promote the relation and take it to wide horizons given the common connections and ties that bring together the two brotherly people.

During the bilateral talks, the two sides reiterated their commitment to strengthen the trade exchange between each other, as it was agreed to put a work plan in order to overcome obstacles curbing trade movement flow, especially the ones exist on routes leading to land ports.

The two sides discussed bolstering cooperation in investment field and the available opportunities for the Egyptian companies to invest in some fields of strategic importance for Sudan.

The two sides have also discussed means of bolstering cooperation in transportation field, as an agreement was set to restructure Nile Valley Corporation for Naval Navigation, boost its competitive ability, and improve its fleet. An agreement was also set to activate the Sudanese Egyptian joint technical committee and call for a meeting within the committee in Sudan over the next days.

The two sides has discussed means to promote cooperation in maritime navigation and to benefit from both countries’ Red Sea ports. The two sides also discussed restoring signed Road Transport Cooperation Agreement, adding the required amendments in order to improve road services.”

The Sudanese part expressed its appreciation and gratitude for the Egyptian government in regards to Egypt’s medical aids amid the current coronavirus pandemic, read the statement.

 

 

The two prime ministers asserted their unified stance on the Ethiopian dam, which calls for a binding agreement on operating and filling of the dam to protect the water rights of the three countries, added the statement.

The Egyptian delegation reiterated its commitment to back the Hamdok government’s efforts to have Sudan off the list of countries sponsoring terrorism, on which Sudan was listed in 1997.

At the end of the visit, Madbouly invited his Sudanese counterpart to visit Cairo in order to follow the outcomes of the current visit and to inspect more opportunities for further strategic cooperation.