Sudan, China sign deal for building large slaughterhouse in Khartoum

KHARTOUM -- Sudan and China on Thursday signed an agreement to build a China-aided large slaughterhouse in the Sudanese capital Khartoum.

The deal on building the slaughterhouse in the western Omdurman area in Khartoum was signed at a ceremony held at the Sudanese Finance Ministry.

"Based on the deeply-rooted bilateral relationship, China agreed to finance and implement a slaughterhouse in western Omdurman with a production capacity of 500 heads of calves and 300 heads of sheep and goats," Sudan's acting Finance Minister Hiba Mohamed Ali said at the signing ceremony.

The slaughterhouse will be funded by a full grant from the Chinese government of over 458 million yuan of RMB (over 70 million U.S. dollars), she noted.

She further thanked China for its strong support to Sudan throughout the years, noting that the project "will contribute to improving the balance of trade and also the economic activities in Sudan."

Chinese Ambassador to Sudan Ma Xinmin said at the signing ceremony that "the China-aided slaughterhouse project is one of the priorities in strategic agricultural cooperation between China and Sudan."

He added that the project "will have far-reaching implications for enhancing Sudan's capacity for independent economic development and improving the life of Sudanese farmers and herdsmen."

Ma said Chinese leading firms in this sector will be engaged in the construction and operation of the slaughterhouse and share China's technical know-how and experience without reservation.

"China stands ready to do as much as it can to provide assistance for Sudan and constantly expand bilateral cooperation to wider areas, in order to promote the sustained development of China-Sudan relations," the Chinese envoy added.