Joint border force will strengthen security, says official
January 17, 2023 (JUBA) – Establishing a joint border security force for Sudan and South Sudan will enhance security and promote trade, an official said.
Speaking to Sudan Tribune on Tuesday, South Sudan’s security advisor, Tut Gatluak Manine said deploying a joint force would bolster trade, deepening efforts to realize and boost cooperation between both nations.
He said the two sides would, in the coming days, convene a joint political and security mechanism meeting to build trust and come out with strategies to prevent potential threats to the two neighbouring countries.
Manime hinted on last week’s meeting between President Salva Kiir and his Sudanese counterpart, Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan which recommended establishment of a joint border security force between the two nations.
He urged the state governors to coordinate their activities and feed the joint political security mechanism with their inputs for high level discussions.
According the advisor, the forthcoming meeting will review progress made in the past years, identify challenges and propose ways and approaches to jointly manage border relation as per the 2012 Cooperation Agreement.
He described the relationship between Juba and Khartoum as “strong”.
“I want to thank the president of South Sudan and his brother the chairman of the sovereign council of Sudan, Gen Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan for being mindful of the importance of harmony and peaceful co-existence as demonstrated by their warm working relations. This should be emulated by the governors and ensure such relations benefit people and must be manifested in the cross-border security meeting,” stressed Manime.
In December last year, South Sudan’s Customs Commission and the Customs Corporation of Sudan signed an agreement aimed at opening border crossings between Guda in South Sudan and Port Kosti in Sudan.
However, the border crossings between Sudan and South Sudan are still closed, despite the agreement of both governments to open four border crossings between the two countries in October last year. The borders were closed when South Sudan broke away from Sudan in July 2011.
(ST)