Sudan’s chief negotiator, Idris Abdel Gadir, has stated that Sudan and South Sudan have agreed to address the issue of external debts together, and intend to ask international donors to forgive debt from the last two years.

However, he claimed that they have also agreed to divide the debt equally between the two countries in the case that donors insist upon all repayment.

Gadir spoke at a press conference in Khartoum after his return from the negotiations in Addis Ababa on Tuesday. 

He added that the security matrix, which was agreed upon last week in order to implement a 2012 demilitarisation agreement, clearly outlines that both parties should work together to achieve this. 

The agreement and matrix cover bi-lateral issues such as security, oil, trade, finance, foreign debt, pensions, movement of citizens, border crossingsas well as the implementation of a demilitarised 20km ‘buffer zone’ along the border. He added that the process of putting these agreements into practice began on the 10^th March and should not exceed 6^th April.  As part of the process, committees must also be formed at the technical, ministerial and presidential levels in order to monitor the agreement’s implementation.

Meanwhile, a number of citizens residing in the border areas have expressed their satisfaction with the agreement, and urged both parties to fully implement the Joint Cooperation Agreements.

Citizens from South Sudan’s Renk County in Upper Nile state added that this agreement will contribute to stability along the border, and thus help in the development of trade and enable pastoral activities between the two nations.

A Renk county citizen outlined his general relief.  “I am really very pleased with the security agreement because this agreementis fulfilling all our interests as we the border citizens are in need of each other because we are socially linked people of the two countries. So for me personally, I am very happy with it although our fear is only on the side of the implementation as there were a lot of arrangements and agreements which were not practically implemented in order for the ordinary citizens to know that this is a real agreement.”

Sudan and South Sudan signed an agreement last September to demilitarise the border areas but tension has only risen since then alongside reports of troop build-up.  Both countries have been suffering economically since Juba’s shut-down in oil production early last year and it is broadly hoped that the resumption of this will enable both countries to begin offering services once again.

Photo: Idris Abdel Gadir (assudan.net)