Salva Kiir invites Sisi to visit South Sudan - foreign minister

Sunday 23-11-2014 11:31 AM
Salva Kiir invites Sisi to visit South Sudan - foreign minister
By

CAIRO, Nov 22 (Aswat Masriya) - South Sudan's President Salva Kiir Mayardit has invited President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to visit South Sudan, Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri announced Saturday.

"There is coordination between Egypt and South Sudan on the issue of the Nile water and Renaissance Dam crisis," Shukri said in a joint press conference with South Sudanese Foreign Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin.

Shukri stressed that talks between Sisi and Salva Kiir have confirmed Cairo and Juba's interests in developing their water resources, and protecting South Sudan against the formation of swamps.

Egypt and South Sudan signed, for the first time, a bilateral cooperation treaty on Saturday, in the field of water resources' management and the establishment of projects, mandating the formation of a joint commission allowing the permanent presence of an official Egyptian irrigation delegation in South Sudan.

Shukri said that both countries are collaborating to achieve stability in South Sudan, adding that promoting investments between the two countries in all fields is currently in progress.

Sisi held one-on-one talks with his South Sudanese counterpart for an hour and a half on Saturday, followed by extended meetings between the delegations of the two countries for two hours, Shukri added.

Shukri revealed plans to visit Juba soon in order to stimulate and support the relations between the two countries.

Egypt's minister of irrigation held discussions with his South Sudanese counterpart late October, after which they issued a joint statement declaring their agreement to develop mutual mechanisms for water resources' management to achieve shared interests. They also agreed to sign a cooperation protocol comprehensive of these mechanisms as soon as possible.

facebook comments