Khartoum - (SUNA) The Ministry for Foreign Affairs on Tuesday hosted the fifth session of the strategic dialogue between the United Kingdom and the Sudan.
The Sudan side was chaired by Ambassador Abdul Ghani Al-Naiem, the Undersecretary at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, while the UK side was led by the Director of African Affairs at the UK Foreign Office, Neil Wigan.
A joint statement said the two sides have discussed bilateral questions, the peace process and human rights as well as trade, investment, migration and defense besides fighting terrorism and violent extremism and other regional questions.
The statement said the two sides have welcomed the continuation of joint action in several bilateral fields as launched during the last session of the strategic dialogue and agreed to complete work on joint action in the areas of mutual interests in the coming few months.
The statement said the two sides have welcomed continued meetings at high level between government officials including last December's meeting of the ministers for foreign affairs.
It added that the two sides discussed future programmes of action that included development, reform of the economy and also provision of technical assistance and improvement of the investment indicators for the Sudan.
On human rights questions, the statement said, the two sides are agreed to continue regular dialogue between the government and that Sudan continues to hold to its commitments to international agreement and to cooperating with the human rights mechanism, welcoming in this regard Sudan's joining of international agreements and conventions.
It said the two sides underline the need to continue working together against human trafficking.
The statement said the two sides have also welcomed the progress made in the peace process in the Sudan, the ceasefire declaration in Darfur and the establishment of a provisional base in Golo for the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur UNAMID, stressing that cooperation would continue to achieve peace in Darfur and implementing the development assistance programme, as well as the efforts exerted to achieve peace under the auspices of the African Union High level Implementation Panel.
The two sides have expressed their grave concern regarding the continuation of the conflict in South Sudan, with the UK welcoming the positive efforts exerted by the Sudan in opening up relief corridors in the borders with South Sudan and in hosting refugees coming from South Sudan.
The two sides commended the join cultural cooperation. They expressed satisfaction over the outcome of the National Dialogue in the Sudan.
They agreed to hold the coming round in London, in October.