New Delhi _ OnePress
Sudan’s Ambassador to India, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Ali Al-Toum, said that Khartoum looks forward to building strong strategic partnerships with India in the framework of the reconstruction and development phase, stressing that the relations between the two countries are based on a historical legacy and mutual interests stretching since Sudan’s independence.
The ambassador’s remarks came during a lecture at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA) in New Delhi, in the presence of the Minister of State at the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kirti Singh, as well as a number of diplomats, experts and academics from India and Africa, as part of a dialogue event leading up to the fourth summit of the India-Africa Forum.
The Ambassador said that the rapid geopolitical, economic and technological transformations taking place in the world offer opportunities to build new partnerships between the countries of the global South, noting that cooperation between Africa and India can contribute to supporting a more balanced and inclusive international system.
India was one of the first countries with which Sudan established diplomatic relations after independence, and for decades has contributed to Sudan in the areas of education, energy, agriculture, health and human resource development, he said.
The Sudanese ambassador reviewed the economic and strategic potential of his country, pointing to the geographical location overlooking the Red Sea, in addition to agricultural and mineral resources and investment opportunities in the fields of food security, renewable energy and livestock.
The ambassador referred to the ongoing war in Sudan since 2023, accusing the Rapid Support Forces of widespread violations against civilians and infrastructure, and said that the government has regained control of most areas of the country, and that the situation is gradually moving towards stability and the return of civil and service activity.
He stressed that Sudan is seeking to expand cooperation with India in the sectors of agriculture, food security, digital transformation, renewable energy and small and medium enterprises, in addition to developing the dairy and livestock sector, citing the Indian experience in these areas.
The Ambassador pointed out that the stability of Sudan is an important factor for the stability of the Red Sea and Horn of Africa region, as it has a direct impact on the security of international navigation, supply chains and regional food security.
At the end of the lecture, the Sudanese ambassador called for strengthening the partnership between Sudan and India, as well as between India and African countries, stressing that cooperation based on mutual respect and common development can contribute to supporting stability and prosperity at the regional and international levels.