Sudanese Parties Sign Agreement on Border Security

Sudanese Parties Sign Agreement on Border Security

The Sudanese parties, the National Congress and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, have signed a Joint Position Paper on Border Security, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Meeting under the facilitation of the African Union High‐Level Implementation Panel for Sudan, the agreement details the establishment of a Joint Political and Security Mechanism for North and South Sudan, headed by the two Ministers of Defence and including the Chiefs of Staff of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA).

Under the agreement, the heads of intelligence and police, and other senior officials, are to ensure that the two parties can maintain stable and secure relations.

The agreement also establishes a Common Border Zone between North and South Sudan, which is to be demilitarized and jointly monitored and patrolled.

The Joint Position Paper was signed by Lt.‐Gen Mahmoud Suleiman (NCP) and Lt.‐Gen Salva Mathok (SPLM) and witnessed by the African Union.

The Agreement paves the way for further negotiations on key security issues between the parties, to be convened by the AU Panel within the week.

Qasim