Sudan and S. Sudan to establish 10 border points
April 23, 2013 (JUBA/ADDIS ABABA) – Sudan and South Sudan on Tuesday agreed to establish 10 crossing points along their border, eight of which are to be opened immediately.
The meeting, held in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, was chaired by Sudan’s Defense minister, Abdulraheem Mohammad Hussein and his South Sudan Water Resources and Irrigation counterpart, Paul Mayom Akec.
According to a communique from the AUHIP, the Panthou/Heglig border, which connect South Sudan’s Unity to South Kordofan and the Babanusa-Aweil railway are to be opened with immediate effect, together with six other border crossings.
A JPSM border corridor committee, it noted, is to set up mechanisms to harmonise and coordinate activities to manage the border areas, nearly two years after the closure following South Sudan’s secession in July 2011.
Sudan’s President, Omer Hassan Al Bashir, while visiting Juba this month, said he and his South Sudan counterpart, Salva Kiir agreed that the borders be opened and organised so as to improve trade and movement between the two neighbouring countries.
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the Chairman of the African Union Commission welcomed the decision taken by the parties to establish ten border crossing points, describing it as an important step in the integration process between the two countries.
She further commended the continued progress of the parties in establishing two mutually viable states living together in peace and prosperity.
Meanwhile, delegations from Sudan and South Sudan have agreed to form a Joint Security Committee (JSC), to deal with rebels claims and other complains, seen as contrary to the agreement on non-aggression and cooperation between them.
“The JSC shall be answerable to the JPSM Co-chairs and would be considered as an additional mechanism as per the JPSM Decisions of 19th March 2013,” the AUHIP said in a communiqué released after the April 22-23 meeting.
The committee, it says, will comprise of chief of military intelligence, senior defense and police officer from both Sudan and South Sudan. Its role, among others, will be to investigate and verify concerns and claims raised by both sides, and establish mechanisms of dealing with them within 72 hours from the time the matter is submitted to other as directed by the JPSM co-chair.
Sudan accuses Juba of backing the SPLM-N rebels fighting in its volatile Blue Nile and South Kordofan state, an allegation the latter denies.
(ST)