Sudan and Chad to assess border patrols
November 15, 2008 (N’DJAMENA) — A mission will be sent to the border of Chad and Sudan to assess conditions for the deployment of Sudanese and Chadian forces under the Dakar peace agreement, the contact group on these two countries decided when they met Saturday in N’djamena.
The foreign ministers of the group have adopted the findings of experts based on the various agreements signed between Chad and Sudan, including the Dakar agreement, said the final communiqué issued at the meeting.
The Contact Group approved the fielding of an evaluation mission responsible for determining observation posts of the peace and security forces that must later be deployed by both countries, said the press release.
Signed in March, the Dakar agreement, which is far from being the first peace agreement between Chad and Sudan, aimed for both countries to stop supporting proxy rebel fighters.
The agreement pledged to “prohibit any activity by armed groups and prevent the use of their respective territories for the destabilization of one or the other” in both countries.
The contact group is composed of Chad, Sudan, Libya, Gabon, Congo, Senegal and Eritrea.
“The strength of the defense and security force provided for in the Dakar agreement comprises 2,000 men, composed of 1,000 Sudanese and 1,000 Chadians, deployed on both sides of the border with 10 observation points within Chad and the Sudan identified by military experts from member countries,” said the Chadian Minister of Foreign Relations Moussa Faki Mahamat at the group meeting.
“This is a mission of border security to be borne by each country,” he said.
The contact group decided to hold its seventh and next meeting in Khartoum, when the group will “effectively bring the force for peace and security to its feet,” according to the press release.
Congolese Minister of Foreign Affairs Basile Ikouebe said that the meeting should take place in January.
Sudan broke diplomatic relations in May after an attack near Khartoum by rebels from the war-torn Darfur region of western Sudan, alleging that N’djamena was behind this raid.
After a further six month quarrel, Sudan and Chad resumed diplomatic relations on November 9 with an exchange of ambassadors.
Chad maintains that it has undergone 28 attacks from Sudan, including one on February 2-3, 2008, during which rebels entered its capital and were on the verge of overthrowing President Idriss Deby Itno. The country is home to 450,000 displaced Chadians and refugees from Darfur.
(ST)