Ansari to represent India at South Sudan independence function

New Delhi, July 7 (PTI) Indian Vice President Hamid
Ansari will be among a host of foreign dignitaries to witness
the celebrations to mark the birth of oil-rich South Sudan,
the world's newest nation, on Saturday, reflecting India's
deep commitment to strengthen ties and concretise the road map
with Africa.
Ansari, who leaves here on Friday to join the
independence ceremony in Juba, the capital of the the world's
193rd country, will also hold a bilateral meeting with Ugandan
President Yoweri Museveni in Kampala enroute to South Sudan.
South South had reached a comprehensive peace
agreement with North Sudan in 2005, brokered by US Secretary
of State Colin Powell under former President George W Bush,
that stopped a two-decade-long civil war and paved the way for
a referendum in January this year.
"India was one of the first Asian countries to open a
consulate in Juba in 2007. We look forward to continued growth
and diversification of our relations with South Sudan as it
charts its independent destiny," Secretary (East) in the MEA
Sanjay Singh told reporters here.
On India establishing diplomatic ties with Juba, he
said New Delhi will appoint an ambassador the moment the two
sides sign an agreement in this regard.
Minister of State in MEA E Ahamed had visited Juba
last month to hold substantial exchange of views with the
leadership there to "concretise a road map for intensifying
cooperation".
Pricilla Kuch, Minister of State in the office of
South Sudan President, had visited New Delhi in April this
year and met Ansari and External Affairs Minister S M Krishna.
The India-Africa Forum Summit in Addis Ababa, which
was attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in May,
"testifies to our commitment to working together with our
African friends for the development of Africa," Singh said.
Ansari, who will be in Kampala on Friday, will meet
the Ugandan President to work towards further deepening and
widening of bilateral relations between the two countries
with a focus on regional and international issues.

Asked if India was looking forward to having accords
with South Sudan in the hydrocarbon sector, a senior MEA
official said the two sides have discussed the issue as New
Delhi has substantial interest in that regard.
On ONGC Videsh Limited being involved for oil and gas
exploration in that country, he said, "They are actively
engaged towards that...."
Ansari will be joining a large number of foreign
dignitaries in Juba including Powell who will be part of the
US delegation attending the independence ceremony. Susan Rice,
US Ambassador to the United Nations, is likely to lead the
American delegation.
The President of the new nation, Gen Salva Kiir
Mayardit, will host a lunch for Ansari and other leaders in
Juba on January 9 after the celebrations. The Vice President
will return home on Sunday night after a night-halt in
Kampala.
India has been one of the largest contributors of
troops to the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) in
addition to the notable contribution of police officers to
both UNMIS and the South Sudan government.
"We have recently pledged USD five million for
development assistance of South Sudan and capacity building
projects such as a vocational training centre and a rural
technology park under our Aid to Africa and and other
programmes," the MEA official said.
"The Pan-Africa E-Network Project undertaken by India in
Africa has been a huge success. We shall be extending the
entire package of the Network, including its tele-medicine and
tele-education components to South Sudan," he said.
The bilateral talks Ansari will have with the Ugandan
leadership in Kampala on Friday will cover a gamut of areas
including trade, technical cooperation, education and
training.
India is among the larger trading partners of Uganda
with the two-way bilateral trade being approximately USD 160
million. India has a favourable balance of trade.