Egypt's foreign minister in South Sudan to boost relations

Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met with South Sudan President Salva Kiir in the capital, Juba, Monday to encourage an end to the country's civil war and to give assistance in health and education.

South Sudan is well into its fifth year of fighting and the conflict, which has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions, shows no signs of ending.

"Egypt has been a steadfast supporter of the people of South Sudan in their darkest of hours," said Mayiik Ayii Deng, South Sudanese Cabinet minister in the president's office.

During South Sudan's earlier war for independence from Sudan, Egypt accepted South Sudanese refugees and gave them access to education in their universities, for which South Sudan is "forever grateful," said Deng. Currently Egypt has more than 50,000 South Sudanese refugees.