Manama: Bahrain will host the Juba-2 conference for the rehabilitation of South Sudan, Sudanese sources have confirmed.
However, no date has been announced for the get-together to be organised by the Arab League, following the convening of Juba-1 in Sudan.
Nizar Al Baharna, Bahrain's state minister for foreign affairs, said that Manama had submitted a proposal to host the conference to the Arab League and that it was included in the agenda of the fourth session of the ministerial meeting of the Arab-Sino Cooperation Forum organised under the theme of “Enhancement of Comprehensive Cooperation and Realization of Common Development”.
Al Baharna told Bahraini daily Al Wasat that China could be an effective participant in the conference to garner more support for South Sudan.
According to Ahmad Bin Hali, deputy secretary general of the Arab League, the summit in Bahrain will emphasise motivation of Arab investments in South Sudan through the presentation of potentials.
The Arab league is keen on implementing the resolutions of Juba-1 that aimed at setting environments conducive to voting for Sudan's unity in the upcoming South Sudan self-determination referendum, he said.
"Division of the Sudan would weaken Africa and adversely impact the whole region, particularly, states in the proximity of Sudan… The Arab League will strive, in collaboration with other organisations participating in the Bahrain conference, to make the referendum outcome favourable to Sudan unity," he said.
However, he said that the Arab League would respect the choice of southerners.
Juba is the regional capital of Southern Sudan and the capital of the Sudanese state of Central Equatoria.
