Africa-Press – Ethiopia. Many positive developments like tree seedlings plantation in Ethiopia also benefit South Sudan, Vice President Taban Deng Gai said.
The South Sudanese Vice President, who concluded a three-dayworking visit to Ethiopia yesterday, told ENA that many positive developmentlike the Green Legacy in Ethiopia certainly benefit South Sudan.
The “tree growing initiative of PrimeMinister Abiy Ahmed is beneficial to the environment of South Sudan. They(Ethiopian officials) are also going to supply us trees so that we could do thesame in South Sudan.”
Taban Deng Gai said that “The governments of Ethiopia havebeen standing with us. The current peace agreement (Comprehensive PeaceAgreement (CPA)) that we implemented in South Sudan (for instance) originated from Addis Ababa.”
Taban Deng Gai noted that “Ethiopia is ourbig brother and sister, the big brother always takes care of the sibling andthe young one so that (s/he) may also grow stronger.”
South Sudanese are endowed with a lot ofresources, the vice president said, adding that the government believes alsothat the people of Ethiopia have a right to benefit from all these resources sothat South Sudanese could also benefit from Ethiopia.
“What we have been lacking is these linkagesin terms of roads and river transport,” he said.
Speaking about the mission of the highlevel delegation he headed during his visit to Djibouti earlier, the vicepresident said “I have been sent by my president to explore the prospect ofmaking use of the port of Djibouti as it has a lot of potential. Currently itis only serving Ethiopia and Djibouti.”
South Sudan “wants access (to the port)through road that also goes through Ethiopia so that the people of South Sudancan get services of import and export,” he added.
The vice president stated that he had verygood meetings with the people and Government of Ethiopia and the President ofDjibouti, “who is very committed to supporting South Sudan and Ethiopia byopening this corridor so that we can use the port.”
“We have agreed that we construct theroad of Pagak and Palouge this year so that the material for oil explorationand development can come from Djibouti to the oil field in the area of Palougeand oil field in the Unity State,” Gai said.
The high level delegation led by the VicePresident of South Sudan also met with Ethiopian Minister of Finance AhmedShide on Thursday and discussed about ways ofenhancing infrastructure connectivity between the two countries.
The officials have agreedon ways to enhance their previously designed plans in the areas of roadsinfrastructure, energy, telecommunications, water transportation, and othervital economic sectors with a view to creating integration for mutual benefits.
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