January 9th 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – The Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Çavuoğlu said on Wednesday that it is opposed to United Nations arms embargo imposed on South Sudan in 2018.
Çavuoğlu said during a joint press conference with his South Sudanese counterpart Awut Deng who is in Ankara on a state visit, that South Sudan has been facing various problems after gaining its independence and that the world should support the young African country.
“South Sudan has been facing various problems after gaining its independence. We do not approve the embargoes imposed on South Sudan which is trying to solve its problems under difficult conditions. On the contrary, we should support South Sudan,” Çavuoğlu said.
Çavuoğlu said that Turkey is one of countries that has greatly supported the people of South Sudan who have been affected by drought and floods and expressed his condolences for those who have lost their lives in the recent flood.
The Top Turkish diplomat further underlined that Turkey has been giving its utmost support through its institutions such as Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay), Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) and Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and underlined that this support will continue.
“Our political relations are very good, but there are many opportunities to be explored in different areas. The important thing is to make a good use of this potential. For this aim, we will give all kinds of support to South Sudan including exchange of experience,” he said.
“After the stabilization of the country with the Transitional Government of National Unity, we think that this potential will be better explored. So far, our companies have completed very important projects. We will work together again for new investments and undertaking projects,” he added.
Cavusoglu stated that Turkey will continue to provide scholarships to South Sudanese students saying 26 students were already enrolled at different Turkish universities.
For her part, South Sudan’s foreign minister, Awut Deng, said her government will renew its governing institutions during the upcoming transitional period which will see the government and opposition groups from a unity government of 36-months.
“South Sudan will renew its institutions during the transition and we believe from our hearts that we will be taking your experiences as models and benefit from them. We will continue our cooperation with brother/sister countries like Turkey in order to improve South Sudan’s economy,” she said.
“If Sudan lives in peace, this means South Sudan lives in peace. It is expected that ongoing negotiations between the Sudanese opposition and the government are expected to reach an agreement,” she added.
