Massawa — A Sudanese intellectual who conducted a visit to the Northern Red Sea region heading a group of students from Khartoum University said that the development programs being implemented through the Eritrean people's internal capacity fully attests to their steadfastness and dedication.

The visiting team made a tour of Fishey-Mirara, the Northern Red Sea region Museum, Massawa International Airport, Al-Sehaba ancient mosque, historical and classic buildings in Massawa city and the like.

A Sudanese intellectual, Prof. Ali Banega, pointed out that the visit is aimed at personally witnessing the achievements registered in Eritrea's development programs over the past 20 years since independence and the activities of the institutions of higher education, besides exchanging experience.

He expressed admiration to the extensive agricultural activities, especially irrigation farming being undertaking through judicious utilization of water resource. Prof. Ali further stated that members of the group were highly impressed with the soil and water conservation activities being carried out to achieve food security.

Also another Sudanese intellectual, Dr. Al-Wesila Muktar Mohammed highly appraised the development projects implemented on the basis of internal resource and said that the Eritrean and Sudanese people share a number of factors. Besides, he expressed conviction that the visit would create conducive ground for exchanging information between the institutions of higher learning of Eritrea and Sudan.

Still another member of the visiting team, student Meriam Wahba, said that she was impressed with Eritrea's natural beauty and the warm hospitality accorded to them.

Student Mohammed Emad on his part explained that the development programs undertaken amply demonstrate the Eritrean people's culture of hard work and dedication. The prevailing peace and stability in the country constitutes a major factor for still greater development achievements, he elaborated.

Meanwhile, female students in the Eritrean College of Science and Marine Technology and the Sudanese students conducted a panel discussion aimed at sharing experience in a number of topics, including female participation in education, the role of women in the nation-building process and the challenges encountered at the workplace after completing education.