S. Sudan, Egypt To İnk Cooperation Pacts

A South Sudanese minister said on Saturday that his country would sign several cooperation pacts with Egypt later in the day on the sidelines of the visit of the country's President Salva Kiir to Cairo.



South Sudanese Foreign Minister Barnaba Benjamin added that during his meeting with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday, Kiir discussed bilateral cooperation in the fields of health, agriculture, youth and culture.



He added during a press conference in Cairo with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukri that a number of cooperation agreements would be signed by ministers from both countries within the framework of friendly relations between South Sudan and Egypt.



The Egyptian presidency has not released a statement on the agreements yet.



South Sudanese ambassador in Cairo Anthony Kon told Anadolu Agency on Friday that Egypt and South Sudan would sign five bilateral cooperation agreements.



Kiir arrived in Cairo on Friday, heading a high-level delegation from his country. The delegation contains the ministers of foreign affairs, electricity, irrigation, oil, education, health, communication, sports and culture.



Al-Sisi and Kiir previously met on the sidelines of September's UN General Assembly meetings in New York.



South Sudan currently seeks membership in the Arab League – a process the country's foreign minister, Benjamin, said could take some time.



South Sudan seceded from Sudan in 2011, putting an end to Africa's longest-ever civil war.



Mohamed Wali



englishnews@aa.com.tr



www.aa.com.tr/en - Kahire