Egypt's Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Mohamed Abdel-Ati arrived in Juba on Monday for talks on promoting bilateral relations, including the field of water management, the Egyptian Ministry said in a statement. Abdel-Ati, who is accompanied by an official delegation, is set to discuss with his South Sudanese counterpart, Manawa Peter, the achieved progress in cooperation between Cairo and Juba in the fields of water management. The Egyptian delegation is also set to meet senior Sudanese government officials and tour many projects that Egypt is implementing there. The statement added that the minister is due to agree with Sudanese officials on future steps to implement many of the proposed development projects. Abdel-Ati said the visit, which will last until Friday, reflects Egypt's keenness on reaching the "utmost" levels of cooperation and coordination with South Sudan to achieve sustainable development and raise the standard of living of Sudanese citizens. "Cooperation between the two countries extends for many years, during which many developmental projects that directly benefit the citizens of South Sudan have been implemented," he added. South Sudanese Irrigation Minister Peter stressed the depth of relations between the two countries, expressing his aspiration to exchange visions and enhance cooperation, according to the statement. In a previous statement, Abdel-Ati said his ministry has established six ground water plants around Juba and seven more inside the capital. Some river piers have also been established with the aim of connecting major cities and villages in South Sudan, Abdel-Ati further said.
