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Egypt's premier discusses Nile water, cooperation in Sudan

Arab World Materials 27 March 2011 16:55 (UTC +04:00)
Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf left for Sudan on Sunday on his first visit abroad since his appointment after the political unrest that toppled former president Hosny Mubarak, dpa reported.
Egypt's premier discusses Nile water, cooperation in Sudan

Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf left for Sudan on Sunday on his first visit abroad since his appointment after the political unrest that toppled former president Hosny Mubarak, dpa reported.

The Nile Basin Initiative which threatens Egypt and Sudan's share of water tops the agenda for the talks.

Six Nile basin countries - Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya and Burundi - signed the treaty that aims to increase their share of water for irrigation and hydropower projects, to replace the 1929 agreement that allocates the majority of the Nile River's water to Egypt and Sudan.

Sharaf headed a high-level delegation of ministers for his two-day visit, which will take him to both Khartoum and Juba, to discuss Egypt's support of the south in the construction, education and health sectors.

"Our main target is to discuss cooperation with officials in Sudan and its south in the light of the special historical relationship that ties Egypt with Sudan," Sharaf said before leaving Cairo.

Earlier this month, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir became the first Arab leader to visit Egypt after Mubarak resigned on February 11.

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