Sudanese FM vows closer trade ties with South Sudan

Visiting Sudan’s foreign minister Omer Gamar-Eldin Ismail said on Thursday his country is ready to work with South Sudan to improve trade relations between the two countries.

Ismail noted that Khartoum aims to ink deals on trade, transport with Juba to facilitate trade between the two neighbors.

“We promise that between the two countries, we are going to have all the trade agreements, all the transport and other agreements that will make it easier for you to enjoy the Sudanese products and for your fellow Sudanese in the north to enjoy the products of South Sudan,” Ismail told journalists in Juba on Thursday.

Sudan and South Sudan already signed the 2012 cooperation agreement that involves oil, trade and security.

Oil-dependent South Sudan relies on Khartoum’s oil infrastructure to transport its crude to the outside world through port Sudan.

“The benefits that we are going to get from trade and exchange of many aspects in life are important for all of us. After all, we always look at it as two countries which have the same people so the test is the same and we care about each other,” said Ismail.

South Sudan won independence from Sudan in 2011 after long decades of civil war.

Meanwhile, Sudan and South Sudan will hold an exhibition in Juba for the first time this week to showcase various products on display from leading Sudanese industrial companies while South Sudan will showcase some of its products like sesame, sorghum and teak.

Yusuf Salah, organizer of the trade exhibition revealed that food products from both countries will be the main products on display.

“It is about food and culture, we will continue working on supplying goods to South Sudan after the trade fair, people in South Sudan need goods from Sudan,” said Salah.