Khartoum — Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir has agreed to meet with Salva Kiir, president of South Sudan, next Friday, 4 January in Addis Ababa, according to an announcement made by Khartoum.

The meeting follows an invitation extended to both parties by Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.

Al-Bashir’s press secretary, Emad Sayed Ahmed, said the summit will be used for both parties to discuss how to speed-up the implementation of the agreement both presidents signed in Ethiopia’s capital last September.

While visiting Damazin, Blue Nile’s capital on Tuesday, the Sudanese president affirmed his “keenness to establish good neighborliness relations with the State of South Sudan”. He also reiterated his commitment to “implement the Cooperation Agreement” signed in Addis Ababa.

In another occasion, al-Bashir stated his readiness to meet with Kiir “anywhere and anytime”, in regard to the peace agreement.

The South Sudanese government has also expressed its commitment to a peaceful dialogue with Sudan and it asserted it is open to meet with al-Bashir either in Juba or in Addis Ababa.

Earlier this week, the Ethiopian prime minister visited both Sudan and South Sudan and encouraged a meeting between the presidents, and the fast-track of the implementation of the peace agreement.