The youngest country in the world, South Sudan, has expressed interest in joining the Arab League made up of Arab states and North African countries including neighbours Sudan.
The troubled country formally applied for an observer status in the 22-nation regional organization last week and then discussed the possibility in Juba during the visit of Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukry.
رئيس جمهورية جنوب السودان ” سلفا كير” يقرأ رسالة الرئيس عبد الفتاح السيسى التى سلمها وزير الخارجية الي فخامته في جوبا صباح اليوم. pic.twitter.com/gP5jtLqovO
— Egypt MFA Spokesman (@MfaEgypt) March 12, 2018
South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Spokesperson, Mawien Makol, told local media that they decided to join the bloc to discuss important issues including waters of the Nile River and security, reports Sudan Tribune.
There are ten African countries in the Arab League including Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti and Comoros. These countries speak Arabic which is a prerequisite to joining the Arab bloc.
South Sudan decided to adopt English as its official language after it broke away from Sudan in 2011. The country gained full membership of the East African Community (EAC) in 2016.
There four observer states in the Arab League including Brazil, Eritrea, India and Venezuela. Its headquarters is in the Egyptian capital Cairo.
