Sudan, Ethiopia hold joint defence meeting on cross-border issues
September 5, 2013 (ADDIS ABABA) – Sudanese defence ministers, experts and chiefs of staff held a three-day cooperation meeting with their Ethiopian counterparts in Addis Ababa.
According to the Ethiopian ministry of foreign Affairs, the meeting was held from 31 August to 2 September and concluded after the defence ministers of both countries endorsed the outcome of the meeting.
The joint committee commended the joint efforts undertaken by both Sudan and Ethiopia to curb cross-border crimes, including arms smuggling, illegal trade and contraband, as well as human trafficking.
During the meeting, members reviewed the existing action plan in place to be fully implemented by 2015, as well recommending better ways to boost common security efforts.
“The committee was concerned with assessment of aspects of cooperation between the two countries, based on the defence protocol signed by Sudan and Ethiopia in May 2009”, said Colonel Al-Sawarmi Khalid Saad, spokesman of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF).
Defence cooperation activities currently in place between Ethiopia and Sudan include conducting joint field patrols, information exchange, as well as monitoring anti-peace elements operating along the shared border.
In addition, both countries undertook to continue military training on peace keeping activities and implement programs based around experience-sharing activities.
The two sides also reached an agreement to increase the level of intelligence shared and to conduct more joint field patrols in order to enhance border security.
It was decided that the next joint defence technical committee meeting would be held in February next year in Khartoum.
(ST)