In A Major Breakthrough: Sudan, South Sudan Reach Framework Agreement

Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA P.O. Box 3243

AFRICAN UNION HIGH LEVEL IMPLEMENTATION PANEL

PRESS STATEMENT

Framework Agreement on Status and related Matters 13.03.12.pdf
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Addis Ababa, 13 March 2012: Following negotiations facilitated by the
African Union High Level Panel (AUHIP), the Government of South Sudan
and the Government of the Sudan have today initialled two agreements
on the status of nationals of each State and the demarcation of their
common boundary.

The initialled agreements were concluded in the context of a spirit of
cooperation and partnership which was discussed and agreed by the
parties. The parties have renewed their commitment to continue
negotiations in good faith and to arrive at agreements which will
ensure the economic, political and security viability of both states.

The initialled agreements will be signed by Presidents President Salva
Kiir Mayardit of the Republic of South Sudan and Omar al-Bashir of the
Republic of Sudan at a Summit of the two leaders to be held in the
South Sudan capital of Juba in the very near future.

Delegations from both Governments will meet immediately to prepare the
Summit. The AUHIP will also travel to both capitals to meet with the
two Presidents to discuss the Summit preparatory process.

Under the initialled agreement on nationality, nationals of each State
will now enjoy in the other State the following freedoms: freedom of
residence; freedom of movement; freedom to undertake economic
activity; and, the freedom to acquire and dispose of property.

These freedoms will enable Sudanese and South Sudanese to retain
historical connections and thereby contribute to peaceful coexistence
and good neighbourliness between the two States. The Parties have also
agreed to form a Committee on the Status of Nationals of the Other
State and Related Matters. The Committee will also immediately begin
work before the Presidents sign the agreements in two weeks’ time.

The initialled agreement on the Demarcation of the Boundary and
Related Issues provides the basis for commencing the exercise of
demarcating what is Africa’s longest boundary.

The initialled agreement establishes the key joint institutions to
manage and implement the demarcation exercise. These include the Joint
Border Commission, a Joint Demarcation Committee and a Joint Technical
Team which will be established within weeks of signing the agreement.

Further negotiations on outstanding matters relating to borders will
continue under the auspices of the Panel.

The Joint Political and Security Mechanism will also meet before the
Presidential Summit to discuss matters of common security concerns and
challenges between the two States.

The Parties reviewed the manner in which they have been conducting the
negotiations, with a view towards completion of the process. In this
context, they agreed that their negotiations should continue in a
renewed spirit of partnership for the construction of two viable
states.

The Panel remains available to facilitate various negotiations between
the two States, on a range of issues relating to security, oil, and
other, committed to seeking constructive consensus between on all
these matters.

—
Abibo Eric Ngandu
AUHIP Communications
AU Lisaison Office in Sudan (AULOS)

In A Major Breakthrough: Sudan, South Sudan Reach Framework Agreement

Khartoum/Addis Ababa – In a major breakthrough, Sudan and South Sudan Tuesday singed a framework agreement to address key issues. The pact included border demarcation, renegotiation of oil, citizenship, activation of work of military and security committee and the establishment of a ministerial committee to follow up issues of nationals of the two countries.

Ambassador Abdul Rahman Sir Al-Khatim told Sudan Vision that the two parties have put their initials on the framework agreement.

In an exclusive statement to Sudan Vision, Ambassador Al-Obeid Murawah, said the framework agreement would be followed by the conclusion of a final agreement which would be witnessed by Presidents Omer Al-Bashir and Salva Kiir Mayardit.

He said the framework agreement provides for renegotiation of the oil dispute on new bases that take into consideration the interests of the two countries, undertaking procedural arrangement for border demarcation and the establishment of a ministerial committee comprising Ministers of Interior from the both countries to address the issue of nationals.

He said that after April the 9th southern Sudanese would be considered foreigners so the ministerial committee should begin its work to address the issue.

Al-Obeid said the agreement also stipulates that the military and security committee should begin its work immediately to activate the cessation of hostilities pact signed in February last.

He expressed Sudan welcome of the agreement and anticipated success of Al Bashir-Kiir summit scheduled to convene this Month. “If the same spirit prevails during the summit, it will be successful” he said, adding that all committees would immediately begin preparing for conclusion of a final agreement.

Meanwhile, the African Union High Level Panel (AUHIP) issued Tuesday a press release saying the Government of the Sudan and the Government of South Sudan initialled two agreements on the status of nationals of each State and the demarcation of their common boundary, and that the agreements were concluded in the context of a spirit of cooperation and partnership. The parties have renewed their commitment to continue negotiations in good faith and to arrive at agreements which will ensure the economic, political and security viability of both states.
The initialled agreements will be signed by Presidents Omer Al-Bashir and President Salva Kiir Mayardit at a Summit of the two leaders to be held in Juba in the very near future.
Delegations from both Governments will meet immediately to prepare the Summit. The AUHIP will also travel to both capitals to meet with the two Presidents to discuss the Summit preparatory process.

By Mona Al-Bashir/Al-Sammani Awadallah

http://news.sudanvisiondaily.com/details.html?rsnpid=207951

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