Wanted Sudanese president visits Cairo

Saturday 18-10-2014 11:18 AM
Wanted Sudanese president visits Cairo
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CAIRO, Oct 18 (Aswat Masriya) – Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, wanted on genocide charges, is visiting Egypt on Saturday for the first time since the ouster of former Islamist President Mohamed Mursi in July 2013.

Bashir is in Cairo on a two-day visit with a Sudanese delegation. He is scheduled to meet Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi upon his arrival on Saturday, Presidency Spokesman Alaa Youssef said. He is also expected to meet Egyptian investors to discuss economic cooperation between both states' businessmen, Youssef added.

The presidents are set to discuss the issue of the Renaissance Dam Ethiopia is building on the Blue Nile.

Egypt's relationship with Ethiopia has been tense since the latter announced the start of the dam building process in May, 2013.

Egypt fears the dam would negatively affect its share of the Nile water, as well as that of other downstream countries such as Sudan. The hydroelectric dam is being built on the Blue Nile, which provides Egypt with 85 percent of its Nile water share.

On Friday, Ethiopian, Sudanese and Egyptian water ministers announced progress in talks over the effect of the dam on downstream countries. Ethiopian water minister Alemayehu Tegenu nevertheless refused to grant Egypt guarantees that the dam would not affect its water share.

Shortly after being elected president, Sisi visited Khartoum briefly on June 27 and met with Bashir during his short stay in the neighbouring country.

The International Criminal Court issued two arrest warrants for Bashir in July 2009 and March 2010, accusing him of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

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