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JUBA - 6 Nov 2013

Gov. Malong says no progress on opening border checkpoints

The Governor of South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, General Paul Malong Awan, said that his state has not started yet to open the checkpoints along the internatinoal border with Sudan.

In remarks to the press at Juba airport upon arrival from Aweil town, the governor said that the crossing points have not been opened in the state due to incomplete security matters between the two countries which are prerequisite for the smooth border trade between the two Sudans.

The recent presidential summit between Omer al Bashir and his southern counterpart in Juba last month resulted in a resolution to open border crossing points as soon as possible, following identification of the zero line between the two countries.

For its part, the African Union has proposed to Sudan and South Sudan to hold a joint workshop in Addis Ababa in order to implement the demilitarised security zone along the ‘zero line’. The workshop is scheduled for 11 to 13 November.  

File photo: NBEG Governor Paul Malong (left) with President Salva Kiir (center left) and Warrap Governor Nyandeng Malek (center right), and Minister of National Security Obuto Mamur (right), before a public rally in Aweil, 21 September 2013