Sudan and South Sudan have affirmed the opening of eight border crossings while ordering two others to remain closed. The order is part of implementation of the Cooperation Agreement and Matrix Agreement.

The Joint Technical Committee for Border Corridors recommended keeping closed seven crossings while proposing an alternate for an eighth corrider that remains closed.

In a report adopted by the Joint Political and Security Committee meeting in Addis Ababa yesterday, the technical committee agreed to open eight crossings and delay two openings until a second phase.

The main routes Heglig-Bentiu, Kosti-Renk, and Meiram-Aweil are among those opened. Some trade along these corriders has already begun.

The Talodi-Tonga route between South Kordofan State and Upper Nile State will remain closed for the time being, as well as the Muglad-Abyei-Turalei route between South Kordofan and Warrap.

A third route from Kurmuk in Blue Nile State to Bunj in Upper Nile State remains closed but an alternative corrider is ordered immediately opened from Damazin to Renk via Buut and Bebeniss.

Also to open are Radom-Timsa-Raja, Kosti-Megenis-Kaka, Goz-Nabak-Renk, and the rail line between Babanusa and Aweil

The Joint Technical Committee for Border Corridors is comprised of Police Major-Generals Saifeddin Omer Suleiman and Ahmed Attalmanan and National Security Major-General Abbas Al Khalifa for Sudan, and Brigadiers Manyok Jurkuc Deng and Yool Akau Yool for South Sudan.

Photo: Defence Minister Abdelraheem Hussein (left) and Minister of Water Resources Paul Mayom Akec (right) shake hands on behalf of the Joint Political and Security Committee in Addis Ababa yesterday, in the presence of the mediator Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar for the AU High Implementation Panel (AUHIP)

Reporting by Radio Tamazuj