Sudan, South Sudan emphasize economic relations development

Khartoum, July 26 (SUNA) – The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning affirmed the development of economic and trade relations between Sudan and the State of South Sudan. This came during his meeting Thursday with the Minister of Finance of Southern Sudan and the Director of the COMESA Development and Trade Bank, separately.

The minister said that the peace process in Southern Sudan supported the economic activity between the two countries, pointing out that the peace process concerns the southern Sudanese citizen first and the second Sudanese citizen, adding that the principles and concepts for the relations development and cooperation support between the two countries have been agreed upon.

Dr. Al-Rikabi said that the COMESA Development and Trade Bank supported the development of trade between the two countries as the members of the organization, stressing that the Bank is a key partner in supporting projects that serve both countries. For his part, the Minister of Finance of the Government of Southern Sudan Salvatore Garang said that his visit to Sudan was made at the kind invitation of the Sudanese Minister of Finance to deliberate on the benefits of the two countries from economic and trade activities as well as the discussion of the conceptual framework for cooperation in preparation for signing the economic agreements in Khartoum or Juba in the near future, stressing that the two countries are considered as on state, referring to the urgent need for economic integration between the Sudan and South Sudan under the phase of accession to the World Trade Organization, explaining that the Bank of Development and Trade helps in the process of facilitating trade relations and the flow of trade exchange between the two countries. For his part, the COMESA Director of the Development and Trade Bank pointed out to the opportunities available to the two countries in all fields, urging the promotion of economic work including trade, especially that the two countries are important countries in COMESA and have comparative advantages in agriculture and its various products, revealing that the priority of the bank is in the establishment of the infrastructure of the two countries as supporting the economy in both of them.

BH/BH