October 24, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – The First Vice President of Sudan and the president of South Sudan Salva Kiir will start on Sunday a two day visit to Egypt, state agency reported.

- Sudan’s First Vice President Salva Kiir (AFP)
Kiir will hold talks with Egyptian president Mohamed Hosni Mubarak and Prime Minister Ahmed Nazeef. His delegation includes presidential adviser Mansour Khalid, foreign minister Deng Alor and Joseph Ashwil state minister at the presidency and other officials.
On Saturday, Kiir met with Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir and briefed him on his recent tour in South African nations as well as efforts his government is doing to curb violence in the South.
Sudan official news agency (SUNA) also said the two sides discussed progress in implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
The semi-official Egyptian Al-Ahram newspaper quoted the spokesperson of Egyptian cabinet Magdi Radi as saying that Nazeef will tackle with Kiir the plans to resume work in the Jonglei canal project.
Radi said that the Jonglei canal project will save 4 billion cubic meters of water from the Nile waters that would be shared equally for use in the development of the South and launching agricultural and energy projects.
Egypt is growing increasingly concerned with growing water shortage relative to demand. The Nile basin countries are lobbying hard to amend water agreements that grant the lion share of the Nile river water to Egypt.
However, Cairo with the backing of Sudan blocked the move. Egyptian officials have long held that the water security is a red line.
The Jonglei Canal, started in 1980, is a hydro-construction project in Upper Nile Province of southern Sudan designed to alter the course of the White Nile as it passes through a swampy area in southern Sudan known as the Sudd.
However the controversial canal project was put to a halt in 1983 following the outbreak of the North-South civil war. Some southerners say that the canal will cause environmental damage as well as displacement.
The newspaper added that Kiir and Nazeef will also discuss opening a branch for Alexandria University in Juba and launching Egypt sponsored development, energy, health and educational projects.
(ST)









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