Photo: Tim Freccia/Enough Project

A boy carries his belongings as he flees the conflict of the disputed area of Abyei (file photo).

Addis Ababa — President of the Republic, Field Marshal Omer Al-Bashir, and the President of the Government of South Sudan, Salva Kiir, are due to meet Monday in a summit in culmination of the negotiations which were conducted by the delegations of the two countries under auspices of the African Union through its High-Level Implementation Panel for Sudan.

Sudan Ambassador to Ethiopia, Gen. Abdul-Rahman Siral-Khatim, said in a statement that Presidents Al-Bashir and Salva Kiir, will meet Monday at Sheraton Hotel after completion of the arrangements that are realizing to the goals of the summit. He said that Ambassador Siral-Khatim met immediately after his arrival in Addis Ababa with the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalgen, and congratulated him on assuming office as the successor of the late Meles Zenawi.

Ambassador Gen. Siral-Khatim said that the Ethiopian Prime Minister assured his keenness to cooperate with President Al-Bashir for completing the joint programs between Sudan and Ethiopia. He said that President Al-Bashir has underscored the importance of joint work between Sudan and Ethiopia toward achieving the interest and aspirations of the two nations through the joint higher ministerial committee and the joint political, economic and security committees.

He indicated that President Al-Bashir has briefed the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Haileamariam Desalgen, on the progress of the negotiations between Sudan and South Sudan in Addis Ababa. It is to be recalled that President Al-Bashir arrived in Addis Ababa Sunday on a three-day visit. MO/MO