Sudan joins desert and coastal states treaty

The Sudanese government has agreed to a treaty providing for the joining of coastal and desert states signed in Tripoli, Libya last February.

The treaty, which comprises Sudan, Libya, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso aims at establishing an economic federation according to an investment development strategy in the fields of agriculture, industry, and energy and facilitating the movement of people, capital and commodities between the signatory countries.

According to the treaty's provisions, these countries are obliged not to permit a third party to use its territories against member states. The treaty is left open to other African states to join.