Egypt-South Sudan Joint Higher Committee aims to set frameworks for cooperation: Al-Mashat

First Joint Higher Committee is significant opportunity to develop practical mechanisms, achieve economic integration, says Rania Al-Mashat

Egypt's Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat chaired, on Tuesday evening, the preparatory meetings at the ministerial level for the Egyptian-South Sudanese Joint High Committee.
Also participating in the meetings were: Mohamed Abdel Atty, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation; Tarek Shawky, Minister of Education and Technical Education; Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research; ElSayed ElKosayer, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation; and Hamdi Sanad Loza, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for African Affairs.
The meetings also encompassed representatives from the Ministries of Health and Population, Electricity, Petroleum and Mineral Wealth, Finance, Trade and Industry, Transportation, Military Production, and Culture. This was along with the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE), the Egyptian Embassy in South Sudan, and many other stakeholders.
Beatrice Khamisa Wani, South Sudan's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation headed her country's delegation. Alongside her presence were the Ministers of Animal Resources and Fisheries, Industry and Trade, Water Resources and Irrigation, Higher Education, Science and Technology, and others.
During the meeting, the heads of the expert delegations from both sides presented the results of the technical meetings and where they stand on the joint cooperation documents discussed earlier.
They also reviewed the development projects implemented by Egypt in South Sudan, whilst tackling the ongoing efforts to develop joint relations in trade, agriculture, health, irrigation, water resources, bank financing, training, education, and industry.
The meeting also touched on the technical support that national authorities can provide in all fields in light of the historical relations between the two countries.
Minister Al-Mashat stressed the importance of convening the first joint higher committee between the two countries, and its role in setting clear frameworks for cooperation during the coming period to enhance joint economic relations.
The minister further praised the role played by the delegations of experts from both sides to find common ground on the Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) that will be signed during the committee's closing activities.
Minister Al-Mashat noted that the committee's agenda for the first session is replete with numerous proposed topics and projects. These aim to boost the mechanisms of cooperation between the two countries in many areas of common interest.
She added that the Ministry of International Cooperation, in coordination with various ministries and national authorities, will keep a careful eye on points of agreement and cooperation frameworks to ensure their implementation during the coming period.
Meanwhile, Wani highlighted the distinguished relations between Egypt and South Sudan, and emphasised the key role that the Joint Higher Committee can play to consolidate relations in various fields to advance development endeavours in South Sudan.
The South Sudanese delegation thanked Egypt's President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and his government for their continuous support of South Sudan. This is reflected in the development projects Egypt has set up to advance cooperation ties in many fields.