MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th July, 2021) Sudanese Foreign Minister Mariam Sadiq al-Mahdi has expressed hope during an interview with Sputnik that the agreement on the creation of a Russian military base on the Red Sea coast would be ratified by the Sudanese government in the near future.
"It [agreement] has been referred to the government of Sudan. The government of Sudan, which is a civilian-led government, will address the matter in terms of the interests of Sudan as a whole. And for that, we are very much welcoming the cooperation between Sudan and Russia and we hope for this agreement to be an opening for strategic cooperation between Sudan and Russia," al-Mahdi said.
The foreign minister noted that Khartoum was interested in receiving Russia's military and civilian support.
"I cannot give certain times, we hope for it to happen as soon as possible within the limits of the Sudanese ... legislation," al-Mahdi said when asked if she knew when the agreement was going to be ratified.
The plans to create a Russian naval post in Sudan were announced in November 2020. The facility is supposed to host up to 300 Russian soldiers and resupply the country's nuclear-powered ships, with no more than four ships being able to stay there.
In April, reports emerged about Sudan suspending the agreement, based on anonymous sources within the Sudanese political establishment.
