Businessmen and citizens at two border areas of South Sudan say they have not yet seen any signs of revived cross-border trade after President Omar al-Bashir announced the reopening of borders with South Sudan for the first time officially since the independence of South Sudan in 2011.
Abraham Garang, head of the traders union in Warawar in Northern Bahr el Ghazal near the border with Meiram on the Sudan side told Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday that they have not seen any physical signs of borders reopening at the crossing at Majok-Nyithiu.
“Am now standing on the road of Majok-Nyinthiu but I have not seen any changes like vehicles and people coming from Sudan,” he said.
He admitted that they just heard of the reopening of the border through media but have not yet experienced the movement of vehicles between the two countries. But Garang pointed out that it will take time for goods to reach South Sudan through Warawar if it was true that the two governments have reached a deal to reopen the borders.
Meanwhile, a citizen in Raja in Western Bahr el Ghazal State, Augustino Santino, said they were very happy when they heard of the news about border reopening again between the sisterly countries of Sudan and South Sudan.
Santino reported that people in Raja are expecting new development as well as an increase of goods in the market. “After two days I was at the border and I saw two vehicles crossing to Raja via Khor Abuna and I hope more vehicles will come since the border has reopened,” he said.
Traders crossing from Sudan had previously feared heavy taxes imposed on goods smuggled into South Sudan.