By Bida Elly David
President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Monday held a one-day official bilateral talks with his Ethiopian counterpart, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Kiir left Juba for Addis Ababa for a visit focused on strengthening the long-standing relations the two countries enjoy.
According to the office of the President, the two leaders discussed diplomatic relations, economic cooperation, and infrastructure development.
The two leaders further centered their talks on boosting trade ties and encouraging commercial growth through infrastructure development, the office of the president said.
Kiir was received in Addis Ababa by his counterpart Dr. Abiy.
Dr. Abiy expressed his commitment to strengthening cooperation as neighbors with common regional interests.
“I received today (Monday) President Salva Kiir Mayardit. As neighbors with common regional interests, we will continuously strengthen our cooperation” Dr. Abiy was quoted as saying by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia.
South Sudan and Ethiopia have had historical bilateral ties in a variety of areas.
Ethiopia has contributed a lot in the areas of education and capacity building, where most South Sudan students have been offered scholarships in different areas.
Last year, the South Sudan minister of higher education and his counterpart from the Federal Republic of Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding in the field of education as part of bilateral cooperation to strengthen the education system in the country.
The MOU was all about a cooperation agreement covering a number of issues, including the updated number of scholarships to be given to South Sudanese by the government of Ethiopia.
Not only that, but the Ethiopian State Minister of Finance, Eyob Tekalign, and the former South Sudanese Finance Minister, Dier Tong Ngor, recently signed an agreement for the construction of the road that connects Western Ethiopia with Northeastern South Sudan.
The construction project, according to the deal, was named Paloch-Mathiang-Maiwut-Pagak Road.
The construction of this road will not only provide seamless commercial connectivity but also rectify the artificial border separation and bring the people of two sisterly countries closer, Eyob said.
The two sides also exchanged views on enhancing infrastructure development, including electricity, oil pipelines, and other components that accelerate regional economic integration, according to the foreign ministry of Ethiopia.