MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Khartoum is grateful to Russian and Chinese companies for helping the country to rebuild its agricultural economy, Ambassador of Sudan to Russia Nadir Babiker said Tuesday.
"Indeed, immediately after the division of the country, we had to go through very difficult challenges. We lost almost two-thirds of our oil revenues, and the government had to resort to drastic measures… we paid special attention to the development of agriculture — thanks to our Russian and Chinese partners we have succeeded in the development of new industries in this sphere," Babiker told RIA Novosti.
Bakiber added that Sudan has been gradually restoring the health of its economy, despite an inflation rate rising to 13 percent over the past two years.
South Sudan became independent from Sudan in July 2011. The two countries have not been able to agree on several issues, including the definition of borders and conducting a referendum on the status of the disputed oil-rich border area of Abyei.