Sudan Airways (SD, Khartoum) could be supplied with two undisclosed aircraft by Turkey under the terms of an economic cooperation pact signed in November last year. The Turkish Ambassador in Khartoum, Jamal-Al-Eddin Aiden, told the Sudan Vision that his country is seeking to improve its ties with the North African country. Sudan Airways' operations and long-term viability have come under increasing scrutiny from Sudanese legislators in recent months, given its poor financial state. Sudan Airways' former Chairman, al-Sharif Ahmed Omer Badr, recently told a Sudanese cabinet meeting that government subsidies to the tune of USD20million have not solved the company's problems, advising it not to provide additional funds. The cabinet resolved to form a committee tasked with addressing the national carrier's problems with an integral five-year plan to be implemented starting this year. Dr. Mustafa Osman Ismail, Sudan's Minister of Investment, has recently disclosed that despite the airline's poor financial state, several Arab and foreign companies have presented serious bids for investment and partnership in Sudan Airways. This is not the first time the airline and Khartoum itself have been head-hunted for investment. In 2007, Kuwait-based Aref Investment Group announced plans to turn Khartoum into a regional hub by investing more than USD1billion in Sudan Airways by 2012 with fleet renewal plans to have included three Airbus A330s. However, Aref sold their 49% stake in the airline back to government in September 2011 citing "the cessation of South Sudan" amongst other mitigating factors. Founded in 1946, Sudan Airways is one of the oldest airlines in Africa but has suffered under years of U.S. sanctions, financial troubles and mismanagement.