South Sudan holds border consultative meeting with Ethiopia

May 8, 2015 (JUBA) – A two-day border consultative meeting comprising of officials from South Sudan and Ethiopia ended with assurances that both sides would refrain from supporting any hostile groups seeking to destabilise any of the two countries.

Addressing reporters on arrival at Juba airport, the governor of South Sudan’s Upper Nile state, Simon Puoc said both nations discussed security policies and agreed to strengthen efforts towards development of security laws.

Leaders from the two countries, he said, pledged their commitments to promote cooperation in defense, trade, among others, for the mutual benefits of both nations.

“The two countries shared the view that they would enhance cooperation in the fields of security and defence and expressed commitment to provide maximum support for this case including enhancement of cooperation in the field of intelligence”, said Puoc.

“The Ethiopian authorities reaffirmed that their assistance were limited to non-military fields such as support for refugees,” stressed the Upper Nile governor.

The deputy governor of Jonglei state, Baba Jida, chief administrator of the Greater Pibor Administration Area (GPAA), David yauyau and the commissioners of Maiwut and Longuchuk counties were some of the South Sudanese officials at the border meeting.

(ST)