South Sudan says U.S. lifting of trade sanctions on Sudan will improve trade

JUBA, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan on Sunday lauded the United States lifting of the two-decade trade sanctions on neighboring Sudan as it will improve trade and economic development in the region.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Mawien Makol told Xinhua on Sunday that the two countries have already been cooperating on improving oil and trade to benefit their economies.

"It's a good step. Sudan is our neighbor and anything good for Sudan is good for us," Makol said in Juba.

The U.S. State Department on Friday announced some of the tough economic and trade sanctions on Sudan in place since 1997 will end on Oct. 12.

It cited Khartoum's sustained positive actions to maintain a cessation of hostilities in conflict areas in Sudan, improve humanitarian access throughout Sudan, and maintain cooperation with Washington on addressing regional conflicts and the threat of terrorism.

"There is cooperation between the two countries. Our delegation went to Khartoum to talk on issues of trade and oil. These things will be good for South Sudan's economy," Makol said.

South Sudan and northern neighbor Sudan are currently pursuing discussions on post-secession issues on debt, oil and trade, after having fought more than two decades of civil war that led to independence of South Sudan in 2011.

South Sudan's economy is currently reeling from hyper inflation as result of more than three years of conflict since 2013, which has badly curtailed its oil production which finances 98 percent of its fiscal budget. Enditem