South Sudan: Kiir Excited at Reopening of border crossings with Sudan

South Sudan’s president, Salva has said the reopening of border crossings with Sudan will improve relations between the two countries.

This was disclosed by Kiir’s security affairs advisor, Tutkew Gatluak Manime.

Last week, border crossings between the two countries resumed after 11 years.

Manime, who returned from a visit to Khartoum, described his mission as “fully successful”.

The aide was in the Sudanese capital to deliver Juba’s proposal for a national conference that would bring Sudanese stakeholders to discuss how they could amicably resolve political differences to pave for transitional arrangements.

“You know that I was Khartoum recently on the directive of his excellency the president of the republic to deliver a special to his brother Gen Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, the chairman of the sovereign council and his deputy, and all other Sudanese stakeholders and leaders”, the aide told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday.

“The message was about the proposal of his excellency to organize an internal dialogue among the Sudanese people and their leaders. This proposal was gratefully accepted by the Sudanese leadership and I returned to brief his excellency the president about it on briefed 3rd June 2022), immediately after I returned”, he added.

Manine said he briefed the South Sudanese leader on the re-opening of the river transport and resumption of border crossings between the two countries.

Kiir, according to his security advisor, lauded the Sudanese leadership for reopening borders and river transport.

Relations between Juba and Khartoum have recorded progress after the two sides mediated peace talks ending internal conflicts in either Sudan or South Sudan. The talks led to the signing of two separate peace agreements that gave armed and non-dissidents to join the government in South Sudan and Sudan.

Khartoum brokered the 2018 revitalized peace agreement while South Sudan mediated between the Sudanese government and various rebels.

Koch Madut