May 19, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The government of West Darfur State said Sudan and Chad have agreed to establish a free-trade zone inside the Chadian territory in parallel to the free zone in El-Geniena.

Presidents Omer Hassan al-Bashir (R) and Idriss Deby brief the media in Khartoum on 28 January 2015 (SUNA)

The Minister of Urban Planning in West Darfur, Faisal Hassan Haroun said an agreement was reached during the recent border conference to establish a free-trade zone in Chad.

He pointed out that the move would enhance border trade between the two countries, describing the security situation and the flow of trade between the two countries as excellent.

Haroun added the implementation of border trade agreements is underway, saying they are keen to develop the border villages between Sudan and Chad.

Last month, the Sudanese-Chadian border development conference was held in West Darfur State capital, El-Geniena.

The two-day conference discussed a number of papers covering the economy, security, trade, social, cultural, media and sports cooperation between the two sides.

In January 2010, Sudan and Chad signed a normalization agreement ending a long history of mutual hostility in which both sides provided support to each other’s insurgents.

The joint border force has been deployed along the joint border in 2010 in line with a deal to stop support to rebel groups and cross-border attacks.

Last year, the two countries announced their intention to expand the deployment of the joint force to include counter-terrorism and disarmament.

(ST)