KHARTOUM: Sudan’s new prime minister will travel to Juba this week, his first official overseas trip since becoming premier after the ouster of long time leader Omar Al-Bashir, officials said Tuesday.
Abdalla Hamdok, who heads an 18-member Cabinet as Sudan transitions to civilian rule, will travel to Juba on Thursday and return the next day.
“He will be accompanied by a delegation including the ministers of interior, foreign affairs, energy and mining, and commerce and industry,” Information Minister Faisal Mohamed Saleh told reporters after the Cabinet’s first meeting on Tuesday.
South Sudan split from the north in 2011, but a devastating war in the world’s youngest country has sent tens of thousands of refugees fleeing into Sudan over the years.
The two countries have yet to resolve some pending border disputes and trade concerns after the bulk of oil earnings of erstwhile Sudan went to South Sudan following the split.
Cholera fears Separately, Sudan reported four confirmed cases of cholera in Blue Nile Tuesday and said three people had also died of acute diarrhea in the war-torn state.
Health Minister Akram Al-Toum has asked the World Health Organization to send supplies of cholera vaccine immediately, the ministry said.
Ministry and WHO officials have been sent to the affected area.
“There have been three deaths,” the ministry said in a statement.
Dozens of people died from acute diarrhea in Sudan in 2016 after thousands of cases were reported nationwide.
Blue Nile state, which has a large ethnic minority population, has been the focus of a rebellion by the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-North since 2011.
The army declared a cease-fire after the overthrow of Bashir earlier this year.
