Cairo, September 1 (Xinhua) – Exclusive interview: Forum on China Africa Cooperation is a powerful platform for pragmatic and efficient cooperation – Interview with Sudanese Minister of Energy and Petroleum Muhidin
Sudan’s Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Muhidin Naim Mohamed Said, recently stated in a written interview with Xinhua News Agency in the eastern city of Port Sudan that practice has proven that the Forum on China Africa Cooperation plays a crucial role in promoting Africa China trade and investment, as well as people to people exchanges, by facilitating the implementation of a large number of key infrastructure projects. It has become a powerful platform for both sides to carry out pragmatic and efficient cooperation and jointly build a high-level community with a shared future.
Muxidin said that the Forum on China Africa Cooperation summit is about to be held in Beijing. To discuss friendship, cooperation, and the future at a higher level is not only the urgent desire of the African and Chinese people, but also the practical needs of the new era and new situation. He hopes that while continuously expanding investment and trade in traditional fields such as infrastructure and agriculture, Africa and China will gradually extend their cooperation to emerging fields such as clean energy and green economy, providing strong impetus for the common development of Africa and China, and opening up a beautiful vision for the traditional friendship between Africa and China.
Muhidin said that Sudan and China have a traditional friendly relationship, and the relationship between the two countries can be regarded as a model of South South cooperation. This year marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The Soviet side attaches great importance to this opportunity to consolidate and develop the strategic partnership between the two countries. It is willing to deepen practical cooperation in various fields between the two countries within the framework of the China Africa, China Arab Cooperation Forum and the “the Belt and Road” initiative. As the gateway to the African continent and a member of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation, Sudan can leverage its unique geographical advantages to become a bridge for communication and exchange between Africa and China, contributing to the upgrading of Africa China relations.
Over the years, China and Sudan have had fruitful cooperation in areas such as oil. Since the 1990s, with the help of China, Sudan has established a complete oil industry chain, jumping from an oil importing country to an oil exporting country. At the same time, Chinese companies are constantly growing and expanding through cooperation.
Muhidin highly praised the achievements of the cooperation between Sudan and China in the oil industry, and affirmed the important contributions made by China to establish a modern oil industry system in Sudan. He said that Sudan regards China as a strategic partner. Muhidin plans to visit China at the end of August and participate in activities related to the Forum on China Africa Cooperation summit with the delegation. He said that the focus of this visit to China is on the oil and power sectors, exploring the restoration and strengthening of existing cooperation between the two sides. At the same time, he also hoped that this trip could lay a solid foundation for deepening all-round exchanges and cooperation between the two sides in the future and better benefit the two peoples.
The oil industry plays an important role in the Sudanese economy. Muhidin revealed that the Sudanese Ministry of Energy and Petroleum plans to promote the implementation of a number of large-scale projects, including the restoration of the Khartoum refinery and multiple power plants, as well as the construction of a new refinery in Port Sudan. Sudan is also considering installing transmission lines between its states, especially in the Darfur region, to expand the coverage of the national power grid.
Muhidin expressed that Sudan hopes to establish a cooperative partnership with China in the field of electricity, and eagerly looks forward to Chinese companies returning to Sudan for investment and development at an appropriate time, continuing the deep friendship between the two countries.