Cairo: Egyptian Prime Minister, Essam Sharaf will head to Sudan next week, accompanied by several ministers, in his first foreign trip since he was appointed by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) less than three weeks ago. Local newspapers said the visit is related to the recent escalation of problems between the Nile Basin countries and the signing of the Entebbe Agreement, a water treaty agreement that could affect Egypt's lion's share of the Nile river water. Sharaf was quoted by the state-owned media as saying his visit to Sudan is just a start and that it will be an important focus in the Egyptian Foreign diplomacy in the coming period. Reuters reported that Egypt is keen on increasing the coordination with both north and south Sudan in this regard and other strategic issues of concern, and said that the visit would last for four days, between Khartoum and Juba, and would address the Egyptian ties with both halves of Sudan. Sharaf will be accompanied by the foreign, international cooperation and water resources and irrigation ministers during his two-day trip to Khartoum and to Juba in south Sudan. BM
