Matters of bilateral cooperation have been discussed

President of Egypt visits South Sudan

photo_camera PHOTO/REUTERS - The President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi

Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, President of Egypt, set off for Southern Sudan to meet his South Sudanese counterpart, Salva Kiir Mayardit, in order to analyse various issues related to bilateral cooperation between the two nations at a key moment for Africa owing to the geostrategic movements on the continent, which are very attractive to powers such as China and Russia, and to frozen conflicts such as the civil war in Libya, which many players in the international arena have become involved in supporting the warring factions, such as the Egyptian country itself, which provides support to the Libyan National Army of Khalifa Haftar, which is associated with the eastern executive in Tobruk, and is opposed to the National Accord Government of Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj, which enjoys the key collaboration of Turkey and Qatar.

In this sense, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi went to Juba this Saturday to lead the meeting with Salva Kiir Mayardit, as confirmed by the Presidential Office of Southern Sudan. A summit highlighted by the Egyptian presidential spokesman, Bassam Rady, who said that the visit of the Egyptian leader to Southern Sudan is the first of its kind to oversee various issues related to joint cooperation between the two nations. 

The conclave discussed how to strengthen bilateral relations, as Rady pointed out, particularly with respect to the economy and development, based on a shared desire to improve cooperation between the two nations, according to the Egypt Independent. 

The summit between Cairo and Juba served to discuss the most important political developments related to regional and continental issues of common interest, as recognised by the Office of the President of Southern Sudan. 

It should be recalled that in September Al-Sisi received the presidential adviser for security affairs of Southern Sudan, Tut Gatluak, in Cairo and stated that the consolidation of security and stability would guarantee South Sudanese development. 

Furthermore, in August the head of Egypt's General Intelligence Services (GIS), Abbas Kamel, travelled to Southern Sudan at the head of an Egyptian delegation to meet President Kiir and several state officials. During the visit, the Egyptian Minister of Health, Hala Zayed, met with her counterpart from Southern Sudan, Elizabeth Achuei, to discuss the development and strengthening of cooperation between the two countries in the medical field, at a key moment in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Zayed pledged further medical support to Southern Sudan to combat the Hepatitis C and B viruses, and to address COVID-19, under the guidance of President Al-Sisi. Kamel and Zayed were accompanied by Southern Sudanese officials at the opening of the new Egyptian Medical Centre in Juba. 

On his first visit since Southern Sudan achieved independence in 2011, Al-Sisi met with Kiir in Juba, where the two leaders discussed bilateral cooperation issues and the negotiation process for the controversial dam Ethiopia is building on the Nile, which Egypt considers a "threat" to its national security.

In statements to journalists at the end of the meeting, the Egyptian president said that both leaders stressed the need for the countries of the Nile basin to reach a "legal and binding" agreement for the filling and management of the dam, one of the most controversial points in the entrenched negotiation process.

In a statement issued by the spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency, it was indicated that both Kiir and Al-Sisi also discussed ways to "strengthen cooperation between the countries of the Nile basin in a way that achieves all the common interests of the countries and avoids damage".

For his part, the South Sudanese leader expressed his gratitude in another statement for Egypt's "willingness" to provide aid to Southern Sudan, which is facing a severe economic crisis that threatens the peace process between rebels and the government agreed in 2018, and other humanitarian emergencies arising from a fragile health system.

"We believe that Egyptian leadership and Egyptian experts can help us implement development projects," Kiir said in the note.

El presidente del Sudán del Sur, Salva Kiir Mayardit

The Egyptian President assured that his country is ready and eager to provide full support to Southern Sudan, especially in terms of development, and stressed that they will help benefit from Egypt's main experiences in the development and construction process.

President Kiir's own office invited the South Sudanese to Juba International Airport for "the reception ceremony for the historic visit of His Excellency Abdel Fattah al-Sisi".

This came at a crucial time, also because of the discussions on the Great Dam of the Ethiopian Renaissance, which has triggered clashes between Egypt, Ethiopia and neighbouring Sudan over the use of tributaries of the Nile. 

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