Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir has called on African leaders to support peace efforts in South Sudan to ensure restoration of stability in the world’s youngest nation.
Addressing the fifth Tana Forum on security in Africa in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia Sunday morning, President Bashir pointed to Khartoum’s role in the peace process in South Sudan along with other IGAD countries.
The Sudanese leader called for cooperation among African countries to resolve internal problems without inviting outsiders whose agenda does not meet the aspiration and interest of Africa.
Al-Bashir stressed on internal plans to strengthen economic and political institutions and cooperation in Africa to support and empower the African Union to make its own decisions.
Meanwhile, Sudanese information minister Ahmed Bilal Osman said the government of Khartoum hopes that the upcoming transitional government in South Sudan will implement the September 2012 Cooperation Agreements signed between the two countries.
In September 2012, the two Sudans inked a series of joint cooperation agreements, which covered oil, citizenship rights, security issues, banking and border trade, among others.
President Kiir of South Sudan is expected to name a new unity government as soon as the SPLM-IO leader Riek Machar arrives in Juba. Machar is scheduled to return to Juba today.
Bilal added that Khartoum was waiting for the arrival of President Kiir’s envoy in an attempt to ease the atmosphere between the two Sudans, adding that Khartoum hopes the situation in South Sudan will stabilize with the formation of Transitional Government of National Unity (GNoNU).
Tension has mounted recently between the two countries after Khartoum accused Juba of still harbouring and supports Sudanese rebels.
Ahmed renewed his government’s call for Juba to stop its support for Sudanese rebel groups.