Sudan's military leader meets with Israeli foreign minister

Sudan's military leader Gen. Abdul Fattah al-Burhan met with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, who arrived in the capital Khartoum on Thursday to discuss normalizing ties between the two countries.

Cohen's visit was the first by an Israeli official to be acknowledged by Sudanese authorities.

"The meeting, which will continue for one day, has discussed ways of deepening ties and fruitful coordination between Khartoum and Tel Aviv in terms of agriculture, energy, health, water and education as well as the military and security sector," the Sudanese presidency said in a statement.

Cohen also announced that the two countries have finalized the text of a peace agreement which will be signed "later this year," CNN reported.

He said a signing ceremony is expected to take place in Washington, D.C. "after the transfer of power in Sudan to a civilian government that will be established as part of the ongoing transition process in the country," the report said.

Al-Burhan previously met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in February 2020 in the city of Entebbe in Uganda.

In a meeting with then US President Donald Trump the same year, the two countries said they would move towards normalization.

Media reports have said there have been discrete mutual visits by diplomatic and security delegations of the two countries in the past.

Reports also said that in 2020, Sudan allowed Israeli flights to pass through the country.