Nkoana-Mashabane visits Sudan

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Pretoria - Minister of International Relations and Cooperation and Chair of the African Union (AU) Ministerial Committee on Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD) in Sudan, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, arrived in Sudan on Saturday, for a working visit.

The visit will run from 23-26 October, and takes place within the context of consolidation of the African Agenda and South Africa's involvement in Sudan.

This is part of efforts to reconstruct Sudan and bring peace, security, stability and unity in the largest country in Africa.

The minister and senior officials of the South African delegation were met by Dr Ali Karti, the Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, in Khartoum.

The PCRD committee comprises of Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal and Sudan, who all played a role in bringing about the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between Northern and Southern Sudan in January 2005.

Nkoana-Mashabane is expected to hold meetings with the first Vice President and President of the Government of Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit and second Vice President Ali Osman Taha.

She will also meet with the African Union High Implementation Panel on Sudan, the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission and members of the United Nations Mission in Sudan.

Nkoana-Mashabane is expected to pay a courtesy visit to the President of the Republic of Sudan, Hassan Omar Al-Bashir.

The minister is accompanied by Charles Nqakula, as a special envoy to Sudan and other senior government officials.