Sudan to re-open trade points with Chad and South Sudan soon

November 25, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s State Minister of International Trade Abu al-Bishr Abdel-Rahman on Sunday said the border crossing points with Chad and South Sudan would be re-opened soon.

He told the semi-official Sudan Media Center (SMC) that a delegation from his ministry would visit three border states including North Darfur, West Darfur and White Nile next month to sign agreements with the neighbouring countries to activate border trade and curb smuggling.

Abdel-Rahman further called to develop a unified vision with the neighbouring countries to facilitate trade activities.

Last month, the Sudanese government said all security and economic arrangements to open border crossing points with South Sudan have been completed.

South Sudan seceded from Sudan on July 9th, 2011 following a referendum on whether the semi-autonomous region should remain part of the country or become independent. 99% of the southern voters chose independence.

Following South Sudan independence, President Omer al-Bashir ordered the border closure accusing Juba of backing Sudanese rebels in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

However, the decision didn’t stop totally the trade between the two sides as the border areas from both sides historically had strong trade relations.

Last April, the Sudanese-Chadian border development conference was held in West Darfur State capital, El-Geniena.

The two-day conference discussed a number of papers covering the economy, security, trade, social, cultural, media and sports cooperation between the two sides.

In January 2010, Sudan and Chad signed a normalization agreement ending a long history of mutual hostility in which both sides provided support to each other’s insurgents.

A joint border force has been deployed along the joint border in 2010 in line with a deal to stop support to rebel groups and cross-border attacks.

(ST)