President Isaias Afwerki on a 3-Day State Visit to Sudan

News
President Issaias Afeworki (C) shakes hands with officials next to his Sudanese counterpart Omar al-Bashir (L) at Khartoum airport on May 8, 2014
President Isaias Afwerki shakes hands with officials next to his Sudanese counterpart Omar al-Bashir (L) at Khartoum airport on May 8, 2014

By TesfaNews,

President Isaias Afwerki today arrived in Khartoum for a three day working visit.

Upon his arrival at Khartoum International Airport, President of the Republic Omar Hassan Al-Bashir accorded warm welcome at a presidential ceremony in the presence of senior Government Officials and diplomats.

Citing Sudanese envoy to Eritrea, Ambassador Majid Yousuf, reports from Khartoum shows that the two Presidents held talks focusing on the state of bilateral ties between the two countries and means of furthering economic ties and existing cooperation besides ensuring peace and stability along their common border.

The Presidential summit will be followed by Ministerial meetings to discuss on the development of bilateral relations, mutual cooperation and issues of mutual concerns.

Prior to the President’s visit, Sudanese Minister of trade Osman Omer Al-Sharif invoked the Presidential Decree No. 45 (2003) to announce the resumption of unrestricted cross border trade between Sudan and Eritrea.

The two countries had been working on improving the flow of goods and services from each other’s territory by eliminating excessive visa requirements and constructing a high-way linking both nations.

In the course of his stay, President Isaias would visit various business establishments in the Republic including the Al-Jeili Oil Refinery.

Last April, during his visit to the Eastern State of Kassala, President Al-Bashir disclosed that he intends to establish a joint Sudanese-Eritrean force to combat human trafficking and smuggling.

He also underlined that Khartoum would provide Asmara with its fuel needs in order to curb smuggling, underscoring existence of a high level of security coordination between the two countries to control borders and achieve security and stability.

Speaking on Monday to the Sudanese parliament, Defense minister Abdel Raheem Muhammad Hussein also confirms the existence of joint border patrol force with Eritrea, Chad and Ethiopia to combat human trafficking and other related criminal activities along their shared borders.

According to reports, plans are underway for increased co-operation between the two nations in areas of mutual interest, such as petroleum, health, education and electrical power.