KHARTOUM, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Sudan signed with Russia a number of agreements for exploring mineral fields in Sudan, said Sudan's minister of minerals on Thursday.
The agreements, signed between the mineral ministry and the Russian State Geological Company, covered development of mineral exploration and geological laboratories, said Ahmed Mohamed Sadiq Al-Karuri, the minister of minerals, after the signing ceremony.
Al-Karuri praised the agreements as the fruit of the Joint Sudanese-Russian Ministerial Committee, which aims at economic development and technology cooperation in Sudan.
He added that Russia, with its experience, would also carry out geological mapping operation in Sudan and establish a data base to enhance the mineral sector here.
In December 2015, Sudan and Russia signed 14 agreements regarding fields of oil and minerals.
Sudan is seeking to increase its minerals production, namely gold, to compensate the loss of around 75 percent of its oil revenues following the separation of South Sudan in 2011.
The Sudanese government had previously anticipated the country's gold production to reach 100 tons in 2016, positioning Sudan as the second gold producing country in Africa and the ninth worldwide.
