Staff Writer
The First Vice President, President of the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS), Salva Kiir Mayardit, started yesterday a two- day visit to Cairo for talks with President Hosni Mubarak on bilateral relations and promotion of cooperation in development.
Kiir's accompanying delegation included Presidential Advisor, Dr. Mansour Khalid, Foreign Minister, Deng Alor Kuol, State Minister at the Presidency, Joseph Achuil and other senior officials of GoSS.
Spokesman to the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Husam Zaki, reported that the visit would focus bilateral relations, future Egyptian projects in Southern Sudan and meetings with Egyptian businessmen interested in investments venture in the region.
In a press statement yesterday Zaki stated that Egypt has been installing electricity plants in Southern Sudan towns to a total cost of 145 million pounds, adding that the actual operation of Wau town electricity network was inaugurated last February attended by Egypt's Minister of Electricity.
According to him, Egypt established a medical center in Juba for out-patients in May, 2008, and is now establishing other two in the towns of Bor in Jonglei State and Gogrial in Warrap with a total budget of 27 million pounds. Moreover, construction of two schools is underway in Wau of West Bahr El Ghazal State and in Wuro of Jonglei State with a two-year budget of 50 million pounds. Egyptian Minister of Education, Yosri Aljamal, laid the foundation stones for the two schools.
He further reported that a branch of Alexandria University would be opened in the town of Tonj in Warrap State where a plot of land has been allocated for the project and a construction budget is under formulation.
The spokesman further said that the Egyptian Ministry of Irrigation has signed a MoU for technical cooperation with GoSS for implementation of 5-year programs to the tune of $26 million. The programs include clearing of Nile river basin as well as a feasibility study for the construction of a water dam in Wau town.
