Egyptian president set for Sudan visit

Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, accompanied by a ministerial delegation, began a two-day visit to Sudan on Thursday. Morsi is scheduled to hold a private meeting with his Sudanese counterpart Omar al-Bashir at the Friendship Hall in Khartoum on Thursday morning - before both leaders chair a joint ministerial meeting with their delegations. On Friday, Morsi will meet Sudan's first Vice-President Ali Osman Taha. He will also hold talks with Finance Minister Ali Mahmoud, the Secretary-General of the Islamic Movement in Sudan, Zubair Ahmed Hassan, and leaders of various opposition political parties in Sudan, including leader of the opposition Popular Congress Party (PCP), Hassan Turabi. Morsi is also scheduled to meet representatives of the Egyptian community in Sudan, and the two presidents will be hold a joint press conference on Friday afternoon at Khartoum International Airport, before Morsi returns to Cairo. Sudanese government spokesperson Ahmed Bilal told Arabstoday that Morsi's visit would be important and historic, adding that is would be beginning of new relations between Khartoum and Cairo. "Both leaders will discuss bilateral cooperation between the two countries," he explained, pointing out that Egypt has a crucial role to play in the future of Sudan. "Egypt is important for us," he added. Senior member of Sudan's ruling National Congress Party, Dr Rabie Abdel Atti said that Morsi's visit will focus on development of cooperation that would benefit both countries. Sudan's Ambassador in Cairo, Kamal Hassan Ali said that the establishment of a direct link between the two countries would not only facilitate the movement of trade and cargo transit, but also reduce the cost of transport of goods. Head of Sudan Farmers' Union Abdul-Jabbar Adam said that the time is right for Sudanese-Egyptian cooperation, and urged both leaders to cooperate in the field of agriculture. "Sudan has land, and Egypt has the expertise and capacity for resolving issues and problems of agricultural work in the Sudan," he explained.