Sudan and South Sudan have agreed to open their borders after 11 years. This was announced after a meeting between South Sudan President Salva Kiir and Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok took place at President Kiir’s office.
According to a press statement seen by Nation Africa at the weekend, the diplomatic meeting convened in Juba also resolved the re-opening of water transport.
“The two parties engaged in extensive talks and candid discussion on all aspects and fields of cooperation. The opening of four border crossing posts; Jebeleen-Renk, Meriam, Buram -Tumsah and Kharsana-Panakuac. The official launch will take place on October 1, 2021 by the two parties, ” the joint press statement.
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During Omar Bashir’s regime, South Sudan and Sudan closed much of the 2,000 borders in 2011 – hitting traders and communities on both sides of the disputed line.
The borders were closed in 2011 when relations deteriorated after the south seceded following a long civil war, taking with it three quarters of the country’s oil. However, in January 2016, President Omar Hassan al-Bashir of Sudan ordered the opening of his country’s border with South Sudan but this did not last.
According to a report, Dr Abdallah Hamdok, Prime Minister of the Republic of Sudan during his meeting with President Salva Kiir at J1 in Juba on Thursday – credit | Office of the President | August 19, 2021
Juba and Khartoum have finally agreed to open border crossings and trade nearly after more than 11 years since closure.
The opening of the border crossings was announced after the end of the Sudanese Prime Minister’s visit to Juba yesterday.
The official launch is expected to take place in Jebeleen on the 1st of October.
In a joint communiqué issued yesterday, South Sudan and Sudan engaged in candid discussions on all aspects and fields of cooperation.
They agreed on reviewing and following up the implementation of all agreements of cooperation through a timed roadmap by the ministries of foreign affairs of the two countries.
They also agreed to open four border crossing points, namely: Jebeleen- Renk, Meiram, Buram-Tumsah and Kharsana-Panakuac.
The borders are expected to open in in about two months.
On other issues, they agreed to continue discussing agreements on trade and economic free zone and transit arrangements.
And also the resumption of cargo and passenger movement by land transport, river transport and railways.
The two countries decided to remove all barriers hindering bank transactions and opening of branches of banks from each of the two countries in the other.
On the oil and gas, the two sides agreed on establishing a joint strategy in the fields of oil and gas.
This is to follow up mechanisms and strengthening coordination and cooperation to optimize utilization of resources and productivity in the sectors.
The countries also agreed to resume the technical cooperation between the two foreign ministries and train South Sudanese diplomats at the Centre for Diplomatic Studies at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sudan.
