Field Marshall Hussein Tantawi, head of Egypt's ruling military council, today sent a letter to Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir expressing his continued support for relations between the two countries, his commitment to coordinating the Nile file and his dedication to maintaining cooperation between the Nile Basin countries. The letter also thanked al-Bashir for his present of 5,000 cows and 60 tons of sesame. Sudan recently brought one million Egyptians to Sudan to work in the agricultural industry. The Sudanese initiative attempts to illustrate a unified vision for the two countries that encompasses common interests. This initiate also gives Egypt the opportunity to develop cooperative development projects with Sudan. Egyptian Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Hisham Qandil will personally deliver Tantawi's letter to al-Bashir during his visit to Sudan. The Egyptian minister will meet with his counterpart in Sudan, Irrigation Minister Kamal Ali, as well as other officials in the Irrigation Ministry to discuss problems facing Nile Basin countries. The meeting will address the emergency meeting of Nile Basin irrigation ministers called by Egypt to solve pressing concerns, particularly those between the tripartite commission of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. Also on the agenda will be the construction of the Renaissance Dam in Ethiopia and other developing irrigation projects in the region. Qandil will visit the Egyptian Irrigation Headquarters in Sudan to congratulate them on the occasion of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
