Sudan, South Sudan agree to open 4 border crossings

Sudan and South Sudan agreed to enhance the joint cooperation security cooperation between the two countries and to open borders for the free movement of people and goods.

Sudanese Prime Minister paid a three-day visit to Juba for talks on the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement, joint cooperation between the two Sudans and regional issues particularly the Tigray crisis in neighbouring Ethiopia.

A joint statement issued on Sunday confirmed that the border will be opened at four crossing points to allow free movement of people and goods in line with the four freedoms protocol which is part of the cooperation agreement of 2012.

The two sides agreed on the “Opening of four borders crossing posts: Jebeleen–Renk, Meiram, Buram -Tumsah and Kharsana – Panakuac. The official launching will take place in Jebeleen on the First of Oct 2021 by the two parties,” reads the joint communiqué.

The two countries added they would “Continue discussing agreements on trade and economic free zone and transit arrangements”.

Also, they agreed to resume cargo and passenger movement by land transport, river transport and railways, and to remove all barriers hindering bank transactions and opening of branches of Sudanese and South Sudanese banks in both countries as part of the bilateral economic integration.

Despite the border closure and ban of border trade by the former regime following accusing of support to rebel groups, Sudanese and South Sudanese kept moving between the two sides.

In July 2021, the UN refugee agency HCR reported that nearly ten thousand South Sudanese at the end of June 2021.

The joint statement said the two sides agreed to “Strengthening cooperation in the fields of security and intelligence for the benefit of the people of the two countries”.

During the talks, the South Sudanese official raised the clashes between the two SPLM-IO factions near the Sudanese border and the presence of several leaders of the armed groups in Sudan.

Source: Sudan Tribune