Sudan Sovereign Council President Abdel Fattah al-Burhan urged the Sudan and South Sudan Joint Border Committee (JBC) to quickly reach an agreement that would make the borders flexible and allow for social and economic interaction. In this context, JBC members briefed Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Thursday about the results of a series of meetings held in border disputed areas in Khartoum.
The head of the Sudanese side, Muaz Tango, said that the two sides made great progress in the 4-day talks. Tango added that from January 1, 1956, they discussed documents supporting the positions of the parties regarding the demarcation of the border between the two countries.
After the meeting, Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan, Chairman of the Sudanese Transitional Sovereignty Council, urged JBC to expedite the completion of the international border demarcation between the two countries. In addition, Al-Burhan emphasized that JBC should cooperate with the relevant authorities and called for the promotion of economic and social interaction by making the borders flexible in order to facilitate the free movement of citizens and goods between the two countries.
The head of the South Sudanese party, Michael Makuei, said they briefed al-Burhan on the progress the JBC has made in its work. In this context, Makuei emphasized that despite the difficult task, the JBC will work hard to fulfill its mission.
JBC stated that 80% of the 2,010-kilometer border between the two countries has been delimited. The disputed areas between the two countries include Joudat Al-Fakhar, Jebel al-Migainais, Kaka, and the Kafia Kingi settlements.
The completion of the demarcation of the border between Sudan and South Sudan was set before the 2011 referendum of South Sudan’s independence. Also in March 2012, both parties committed to complete talks expeditiously within 6 months. However, tribal issues between the tribes of the two countries, the joint use of water and pastures made it difficult to reach an agreement on the international border even after the submission of legal documents supporting ownership of the claimed areas.
