US WELCOMES SUDAN AND SOUTH SUDAN SECURITY AGREEMENT
Washington, 30 Rabiul Akhir 1434/11 March 2013 (MINA) – The United States in press release said it welcomes the technical agreement signed between Sudan and South Sudan establishing a Safe Demilitarized Border Zone (SDBZ), a firm timeline for the withdrawal of forces, and a way ahead for the deployment of a joint border monitoring force, according to Sudan.net report monitored by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA) Monday (11/3).
At the same time, the parties should begin the immediate implementation of all nine September 27 Cooperation Agreements. Each of these agreements should be implemented independently without conditions or delay.
We commend the parties, the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel and the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei for their continued efforts to implement the African Union Roadmap and UN Security Council Resolution 2046.
Sudan Tribune report, the two countries’ leaders, last year, signed the agreement, which covered oil and citizenship rights as well as security issues, among others. Since then, implementation of the deal have stalled over Khartoum’s insistence that Juba sever all ties with Sudanese rebel groups – an allegation that is denied by South Sudan.
The US government, in the statement, also commends the parties, the AUHIP and the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), for their continued efforts to implement the AU roadmap and UN Security Council Resolution (UNSC) 2046.
In a related development, the AU Commission equally welcomed the new agreements both Sudan and South Sudan reached on Friday at the end of the extraordinary Joint Peace and Security Mechanism (JPSM) meeting in the Ethiopian capital.
The two sides, according to the modalities of the security agreement, will unconditionally withdraw all their troops from the buffer zone by March 14, with United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) tasked to monitor this region.
Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, the AU Commission Chairperson on Saturday lauded the new progress made by both countries, describing it as a step forward in efforts to a permanent resolution of all the outstanding issues between the two.
The AU chief, in a statement, also urged Khartoum and Juba to translate these steps into action “without delay”, further calling on the East African member countries to help Sudan and South Sudan resolve other remaining disputes.
The AUHIP timeline shows that the Joint Technical Border Corridor Committee, will meet and agree on further arrangements for implementation of the security agreement, during the next JSPM meeting scheduled for nest Sunday. (T/P09/E1)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
