Dubai: The UAE is the second largest investor in Sudan after China with total investments of $ 7 billion, Sudanese President Omar Hassan Al Beshir told a press conference here on Tuesday.

The Sudanese head of state said that his country had provided fertile ground for attracting Arab and foreign investment in order to achieve overall development.

Speaking about his trip to the UAE, Al Beshir said it was in response to a kind invitation from President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, aimed at giving a bigger boost to bilateral political and economic relations which he praised as ''strong'' and ''historic''.

He indicated that his talks with the UAE leaders covered wide-ranging issues including Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon as well as latest political developments in Sudan.