Sudan vows to strengthen regional trade bloc's solidarity, economic integration

Khartoum (Sudan), December 1: Sudan on Wednesday pledged to strengthen solidarity among member states of the trade bloc Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in eastern Africa and promote economic integration in the region.
The pledge was made by Ali Al-Sadiq, Sudan's acting foreign minister and chair of the IGAD's Council of Ministers, when addressing the 48th ordinary session of the IGAD Council of Ministers which opened in Khartoum on Wednesday.
"Sudan will work toward strengthening solidarity between member states and promoting regional economic integration ... as a necessary condition for advancing the role of youth and women to contribute to regional prosperity," Al-Sadiq said.
Sudan has formulated a road map to steer IGAD toward a greater level of distinction regionally, continentally and globally, he added.
Meanwhile, Workneh Gebeyehu, executive secretary of the IGAD, stressed the importance of the organization's ministerial meeting in the Sudanese capital.
"This meeting, as well as the 14th ordinary session of the IGAD Committee of Ambassadors held in October, is a signal that the unity of purpose of our member states strengthens our value as a role-based organization," said Gebeyehu.
The IGAD's 48th ministerial session is attended by all foreign ministers of its member states, ambassadors of the United States and Italy as well as the representative of the European Union.
The meeting is set to discuss issues of peace and security, drought and desertification, and conflict resolution in the member states.
The IGAD, established in 1986, has eight members of Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Eritrea. South Sudan's membership was suspended in late 2021 over the country's failure to pay its annual dues.
Source: Xinhua