Sudanese-Ethiopian committee to discuss security and economic issues

May 27, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – The Joint Sudanese- Ethiopian Higher Committee (JSEHC) would hold its third meeting in Red Sea state capital, Port Sudan on May 31st to discuss a number of security and economic issues.

The JSEHC meeting would be preceded by the meeting of the joint Sudanese-Ethiopian technical committee which will be held in Port Sudan from 29 to 30 May.

The two-day meetings are expected to discuss several issues including the free trade zones, transit trading, banking cooperation besides the security of the joint border between the two countries.

The Sudanese side would be headed by the Vice-President Hasabo Mohamed Abdel-Rahman while the Ethiopian side will be chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen.

On Thursday, Abdel-Rahman was briefed on the ongoing arrangements to hold the meeting besides the latest work of the concerned committees on the various issues under discussion.

On Friday, the official news agency (SUNA) quoted the state minister of finance Abdel-Rahman Dirar as mentioning the need for opening Ethiopian banks in Sudan to facilitate the financial transactions and to use the Ethiopian and Sudanese currencies to settle trade transactions between the two countries.

Last February, the central banks of Sudan and Ethiopia signed a banking cooperation agreement allowing the Ethiopian Commercial Bank to open a branch in Khartoum within three months.

Also, In June 2015, Ethiopia agreed to proposals offered by Sudan to establish free trade zones near the border between the two countries.

Farmers from two sides of the border between Sudan and Ethiopia used to dispute the ownership of land in the Al-Fashaga area located in the south-eastern part of Sudan’s eastern state of Gedaref.

Al-Fashaga covers an area of about 250 square kilometers and it has about 600.000 acres of fertile lands. Also there are river systems flowing across the area including Atbara, Setait and Baslam rivers.

Last January, the technical committee tasked with redrawing the border between the two countries said it would complete its work on the ground during this year.

Sudan’s Gadarif and Blue Nile states border Ethiopia’s Amhara region. The borders between Sudan and Ethiopia were drawn by the British and Italian colonisers in 1908.

The two governments have agreed in the past to redraw the borders, and to promote joint projects between people from both sides for the benefit of local population.

However, the Ethiopian opposition accuses the ruling party of abandoning Ethiopian territory to Sudan.

(ST)