AU committee due to begin mission to determine zero line between Sudan and S. Sudan

October 12, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The advisory committee which was set up by the African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP) to determine the baseline for the demilitarized security zone (zero line) between Sudan and South Sudan will begin its mission within few days.

The Joint Political and Security Committee (JPSC) rapporteur, Al-Moiz Farouq, told the pro-government Ashorooq TV that the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) commander would present a report to the JPSC on the progress which has been made on the issue of border protection.

Farouq added that borders between the two countries stretch to 2,160 kilometers and said that four segments were assigned for protection, pointing that new land and river crossings would be opened.

The rapporteur asserted that both countries agreed in their fourth meeting of the JPSC to not allow presence of rebel groups from the other country along the border, pointing to the strong indications of normalization of relations between the two countries.

“There is a genuine desire in Khartoum and Juba to implement the cooperation agreement signed between the two countries”, he added

Sudan and South Sudan signed a series of cooperation agreements, which covered oil, citizenship rights, security issues, banking, border trade among others. In March of this year, the two countries signed a matrix containing implementation timelines for these accords.

He disclosed that interior ministers agreed in their recent meeting which was held in Juba to open four crossings, saying that this would boost border trade between the two countries.

Farouq further said that 182 commodities will be exported from Sudan to South Sudan, pointing that this would revive the borders because two thirds of South Sudan’s population live along the borders between the two countries.

(ST)