Sudan’s Interior Minister Esmat Abdel Rahman said border crossings with South Sudan will not be officially opened until after border demarcation and identification of the zero line.
In press statements in Khartoum, the official said South Sudan’s government does not want to determine the zero line.
However, he predicted that the upcoming visit by President Salva Kiir to Khartoum will set a timeframe for the Joint Military and Security Mechanism meetings to kick off.
He said that joint security meetings between the two countries will discuss all these files including opening of cross-border trade and movement of citizens between the two Sudans.
Esmat further said the identification of border crossings was agreed upon during previous meetings. He added all the arrangements for the implementation are in place.
The minister stressed that the identification of the zero line is still the main obstacle to implementing the security arrangements between the two countries.
In October, Sudan’s General Union of Transport had announced that the launch of the direct land transport between the two countries would start shortly after Eid El Adha holiday, which has since passed without the borders opening.