The Undersecretary of the Ministry Foreign Affairs of Sudan is scheduled to pay a two-day visit to South Sudan today amidst a row between the two countries about a referendum on the contested area of Abyei.

Ambassador Rahmatallah Mohamed Osman was expected to arrive in Juba since yesterday, but his flight was reportedly postponed to Thursday October 31. His trip coincides with the results of the Abyei referendum organised by the Dinka Ngok tribes seeking independence from Khartoum. The first results show a nearly unanimous vote in favour of secession from Sudan by the Dinka population. The Arab Misseriya tribes were not taking part in the plebiscite.

In a press statement in Khartoum, the Southern Affairs Deputy- Director in the Sudan’s Foreign Ministry, Ibrahim El Sheikh, explained that the visit aims at consolidation of bilateral relations, reactivation of the Joint Cooperation Agreements and exchange of expertise between the two sisterly countries. El Sheikh furthermore noted that the two Sudanese Foreign Ministries will coordinate at the level of international forums and create special relations between the institutions.

The South Sudan Foreign Minister Dr Barnaba Marial Benjamin will visit Khartoum soon according to the Sudanese diplomat.

File photo