Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir announced in Khartoum on Thursday that he lifted a partial ban on the import of Egyptian goods imposed since 2017 during a press conference with Egyptian president Abdel El-Sisi, who is currently visiting Sudan.
"Today I signed a decision to lift the ban on the entry of Egyptian products to Sudan, to remove all obstacles to the movement of trade and people between the two countries," Bashir told reporters. The decision had an immediate effect, he said.
The two leaders also oversaw in Khartoum on Thursday the signing of 12 memorandums of understanding and agreements between Egypt and Sudan.
The Egyptian president said at a press conference following the signing that the agreements represent "a new breakthrough in bilateral ties between Egypt and Sudan."
The 12 memorandums of understanding cover different fields including education, media, youth, and agriculture, in addition to a number of economic agreements on investments and industry.
El-Sisi also said that Khartoum hosted earlier in October the first meeting of a committee convened to prepare for the linking of railways between Egypt and Sudan.
El-Sisi also praised efforts made by Sudan and its President Al-Bashir to help achieve peace in war-torn South Sudan.
President Al-Bashir said that El-Sisi s visit to Khartoum helps boost Egyptian-Sudanese ties.
Before the signing, the two presidents held talks to discuss ways to boost bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries.
El-Sisi arrived in Sudan earlier on Thursday for his sixth visit to the country since he was elected president in 2014.
In March 2017 Sudan banned the import of all Egyptian agricultural goods amid a range of disputes, including over land and accusations of political meddling.
The value of Egyptian exports to Sudan stood at $550 million dollars last year, while Sudanese exports to Egypt stood at $103 million, Egypt s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on Wednesday.
