Egypt has distinguished role in achieving stability in S. Sudan

Egypt's Ambassador to South Sudan Ayman Mokhtar el Gammal Sunday highlighted his country's distinguished role in achieving stability in the neighboring African country.

He expressed hopes that situation would back to normal in South Africa soon, with a view to resuming bilateral cooperation projects that have been stalled due to instability.

Cooperation between Cairo and Juba is based on historic relations that have been entrenched long before signing Sudan's Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005, the ambassador said in statements to MENA.

Ambassador Gammal added that cooperation has gained momentum after South Sudan President Salva Kiir's visit to Egypt and meeting with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi in November 2014 when eight memorandums of understanding (MoUs) in education, health, irrigation and other vital fields were inked.

Egypt attaches great importance to cooperation in the developmental fields, including the infrastructure projects and human and social development, Gammal noted, attributing strength relations to mutual political and regional interests.

Speaking about cooperation in the primary education field, the ambassador said that Egypt has three technical schools in Juba, Wau and Bor cities, adding that a MoU has been signed in July 2016 in the field of primary education.

Under an executive cooperation program between Cairo and Juba in the higher education filed, Egypt universities offer 250 scholarships annually along with 50 masters and PhD scholarships.

In the academic year 2016/17, Egyptian universities have offered scholarships for 1,900 students from South Sudan.

The ambassador went on to say that a branch for Alexandria University would be established in South Sudan's Tonj, stating that it would comprise four colleges for pharmacy, veterinary medicine, agriculture and education.

As for health cooperation, the ambassador said that Egypt offers direct health services to south Sudanese through dispatching medical convoys and clinics as well as by training South Sudanese medical cadres.

Meanwhile, Gammal said that Egypt has funded the established four power plants to generate electricity in several South Sudanese cities, at the cost of EGP 158 million.

The envoy further highlighted current cooperation in the irrigation field, saying that Egypt has been implementing a project to dig 30 underground water wells in several parts across the African country.

Source: MENA