Egypt-South Sudan Strengthens Ties

Governments of Southern Sudan and Egypt have signed an agreement paper outlining several issues. A delegation headed by the newly appointed Prime Minister Essam Sharaf joined by seven Egyptian Ministers arrived in the virtual independent nation’s regional capital Juba.

The Egyptian Ministers of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, Transportation, High Education, Water Resources among others were among the dignitaries escorting the Prime Minister yesterday ahead of the key meeting.

The GOSS President H.E Salva Kiir Mayardit was in attendance of the meeting alongside several GOSS Ministers headed by Vice President Dr. Riek Machar who received the High Delegation at the Juba International Airport.

The Minister of Internal Affairs, Roads and Transport, Information, Energy and Mining, Water Resources and Irrigation, Housing, Regional Cooperation, Finance and Economic Planning were the GOSS Ministers present at the reception.

After a two hours meeting at the GOSS Presidential Palace, the two parties discussed and agreed on four issues: how to cooperate and have relationship between the two nations after South Sudan’s full independency by July 2011, education, water, and health.

The Water Resources Ministers from the GOSS, Paul Mayom and Egyptian Dr. Hussein Eltafi signed and exchange the document necessitating the agreed issues.

Speaking shortly before the meeting, Dr. Hussein said that the agreement especially on water between the two countries has cleared worries and doubts that Egyptians had.

“I will go and tell my people at home not to worry about the Nile now,” said Hussein.

The Egyptian Consul General in Juba spoke to Gurtong shortly before the meeting and said that, the meeting was significant as it reinforces the relationship between the two nations.

“This will be the first step in energizing our relationship with Southern Sudan,” Moayad Eldalie-Egypt General Consul in Juba said.

This was the first time following ousting of the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that the Prime Minister visited South Sudan after voting overwhelmingly for secession in the previous month in a historical referendum.