Khartoum urges its citizens in South Sudan to regularise stay
February 26, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese Embassy in the capital of neighboring South Sudan has called on its citizens there to regularise their stay and register their names with the mission as of Monday.
More than 350,000 Southern Sudanese citizens have returned to their region since it declared independence from Sudan in July last year, according to estimates declared in November of the same year
Sudan has amended its nationality law to revoke citizenship of southerners and set 8 April as a deadline for them to leave or stay as foreigners.
UN agencies estimate that there are 700,000 South Sudanese citizens still resideing in Sudan. However, there are no estimates on the number of Sudanese citizens in South Sudan.
The Sudanese diplomat pointed out that the registration presents an opportunity to count the number of Sudanese citizens in the South, adding that he expects them to be of great number.
Al-Raiah also said that Sudanese citizens in South Sudan will have a special status until 8 April unlike other foreigners who have less than two weeks to regularise their stay.
Sudan and South Sudan this month signed a memorandum of understanding on facilitating the return of southerners to their homelands.
“DIPLOMACY NO. 1”
In a related subject, Al-Raiah said that South Sudan had given Sudan’s embassy the diplomatic plate number 1 because it was the first country to recognize South Sudan’s independence.
The Sudanese diplomat confirmed that Khartoum had chosen Mutrif Sidiq to serve as its ambassador in South Sudan. However, he added that South Sudan is yet to respond to the nomination of Sidiq.
Juba said that Sudan’s ambassador to South Sudan would be chosen carefully due to the distinctive nature of relations between the two countries.
(ST)