Sudanese Vice President Salva Kiir received more than a handshake from President Bush when he wrapped up his recent visit to the Oval Office. The President presented Kiir with a souvenir from his home state of Texas—a black Stetson cowboy hat.

Vice President Kiir proudly displayed the presidential gift at the conclusion of our recent interview at the CBN News Washington Bureau.

President Bush’s signature was accompanied by a stitched engraving of Kiir’s name and title beneath the brim. Pretty impressive. I told Vice President Kiir that when he returned to his country he would probably be the only person in all of Sudan seen wearing a black Stetson. I guess it won’t be too strange. After all, Sudan and Texas do share a few similarities. Cows are important to both cultures, a lot of money has been made from oil in Texas and Sudan and you can travel for hours across flat terrain in both places without seeing a single person. I was even astonished on one of my visits to a remote region of the Nuba Mountains to see a Sudanese man wearing a Dallas Cowboys t-shirt! (I was more encouraged during another trip to the Sudan bush to notice a boy wearing a Washington Redskin shirt).

After discussing a multitude of problems plaguing Sudan—from human rights atrocities in Darfur to the sharing of oil wealth in South Sudan—it was refreshing to enjoy that lighter moment with Sudan’s Salva Kiir.

Gary Lane's Interview with Salva Kiir