President Jacob Zuma has met with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to “strengthen relations” between the two countries.

In a statement, the Presidency said Zuma and Bashir met on the margins of the 70th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese Peoples’ War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, taking place in Beijing, in The Peoples’ Republic of China.

“South Africa and Sudan enjoy warm bilateral relations. Sixteen bilateral agreements have been concluded between the two countries to date,” said the Presidency.

“South Africa seeks to further strengthen co-operation with Sudan in the fields of agriculture, agro-processing, science and technology, energy, infrastructure development, mining and retail.”

The Presidency said the two leaders recommitted themselves to elevating the bilateral Joint Co-operation Commission to a ministerial level. It said Zuma has also since accepted an invitation by Bashir to visit Sudan.

The South African government has come under fire for allowing Bashir to leave South Africa and for failing to effect an International Criminal Court arrest warrant. This was in spite of a High Court order that Bashir be detained. News24