President Omar al-Bashir (R) walks out with Thabo Mbeki (left) and President Salva Kiir Mayardit after a meeting in 2011 [©Reuters]
By Waakhe Simon Wudu
JUBA, 3rd February 2012 [Gurtong] - Sudan and South Sudan have agreed for another round of talks scheduled next week Friday (10/2/2012) on the oil crisis and some of the post independent issues.
The Presidents from the two countries last week met in Addis Ababa under the mediation of the Inter-governmental Authority for Development, (IGAD) to agree on a deal to resolve the oil crisis in the two nations.
“We talked to President Salva Kiir and President al-Bashir that we should resume the negotiations here in Addis Ababa on the 10th of February and fortunately both Presidents and governments have agreed,” Mr. Thabo Mbeki, the Head of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel mediating the talks.
“The key agenda will be the oil question, and meeting of the Joint Political Alliance and Security Mechanisms to discuss security issues related to both countries and steps that should be taken to demarcate the border and resolve the outstanding issues concerning the disputed border areas,” said Mbeki.
He also pointed out that, the issue of nationality; citizenship will also be discussed. Mbeki explained that the interim period that was agreed to regularize position of people from South Sudan who are in the north, people from north Sudan who are in the south will end late March this year.
“Now we are very concerned that it should not impact negatively on the ordinary people,” Thabo Mbeki assured.
Last week the two Governments discussions on the outstanding issues ended fruitless in an attempt to address political and economic crisis the two countries are currently facing.