South Sudan, Egypt to Sign 5 Cooperation Deals

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will meet South Sudanese counterpart Salva Kiir in Cairo on Saturday, where the two countries are expected to sign five mutual cooperation agreements, South Sudan’s ambassador to Egypt said Friday.

“The summit will bring together the two presidents [al-Sisi and Kiir], as well as [cabinet] ministers from both countries in the fields of education, health, irrigation, communication, culture and sports,” South Sudanese ambassador to Egypt Anthony Kon told The Anadolu Agency.

“The two countries will sign five mutual cooperation agreements during the summit,” Kon said. “Meetings between Egyptian and South Sudanese ministers began yesterday [Thursday] and will continue until tomorrow.”

Kiir is also scheduled to meet Arab League Secretary-General Nabil al-Arabi to discuss several regional and international files, Kon added.

Kiir arrived in Cairo on Friday at the head of a high-level delegation that includes 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, Barnaba Benjamin, said could take some time.

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

Source: World Bulletin