Sudan, Ethiopia resume border trade

June 4, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan and Ethiopia agreed to resume border trade through Blue Nile State, ending 10 years of suspension because of security circumstances.

This came when a 10 million US dollar agreement on commodity exchange was signed between the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Trade and the Blue Nile State, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, State Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Trade Salman Suleiman al-Safi, highlighted the strategic returns of the borders trade between the two countries in the political, economic, security and social aspects, saying that it would control smuggling.

He explained that commercial exchange with the sisterly state of Ethiopia was so special considering the many agreements and protocols signed between the two countries.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Finance in the Blue Nile State Babiker Mohamed Ahmed, said work was under way to increase the border trade points between his state and Ethiopia to push forward and activate the volume of the overall bilateral Sudanese-Ethiopian trade.

(ST)