Farming study brings Sudan, Egypt closer amid Nile Dam crisis
Egypt has agreed with Sudan to study a plan to grow crops together on Sudanese land within the framework of economic cooperation between the two countries.
CAIRO — Egypt’s Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Ali al-Moselhi met with Mirghani Idris Soliman, the director of the Sudan’s Military Industry Corporation, in Cairo Aug. 18 and agreed to study the possible leasing of agricultural lands in Sudan.
According to the agreement, the land will be cultivated with sunflowers, soybeans and corn under the direction of the Egyptian Ministry of Supply's Holding Company for Food Industries, supplying edible oils to the Egyptian market and limiting imports. No further details were revealed.
During the meeting, the two officials also agreed to boost cooperation between the two countries in the field of food production, one important area being the provision of livestock by Sudanese company Etegahat.
The agreement comes amid a momentum in the relations between Egypt and Sudan after Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly paid a visit to Khartoum on Aug. 15. The Egyptian and Sudanese positions have converged during the recent rounds of negotiations with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
