By NICHOLAS BARIYO
KAMPALA, Uganda—Sudan and South Sudan have agreed to create a demilitarized zone along their poorly defined border within a week, in the latest push aimed at restarting transit crude shipments from the south, the African Union said late Friday.
The two former civil-war foes are expected to start withdrawing troops to allow the creation of a 20-kilometer (12.4-mile)buffer zone along the oil-rich border on Sunday, completing the exercise by Friday, according to the AU.
The creation of the buffer zone is a condition for the resumption of South Sudan's 350,000 barrel-a-day oil shipments, which were halted in January last year amid a feud over the precise location of the 1,120-mile border as well as oil-transit fees.
"South Sudan and Sudan agreed to...the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of forces to their side of the demilitarized border zone" the AU said in a statement.
The agreement was signed by defense ministers from the two former foes following a meeting in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital.
South Sudan reached a messy separation with Sudan in July 2011, retaining at least 75% of the oil fields.
The two countries nearly came to an all-out war over contested regions along the common border early last year.
The spat continues to block South Sudan's crude shipments through Sudanese ports and pipelines, battering both economies. Sudan President Omar Al Bashir and his South Sudan counterpart, Salva Kiir, agreed in September last year to create the buffer zone but neither side complied with the withdrawal, heightening tensions.
Observers say deep-rooted mistrust and a history of broken promises continues to hamper the implementation of the border deals.
Early this week, South Sudan announced plans to start shipping around 30,000-40,000 barrels-a-day of crude by road, in order to heal its struggling economy.
Newer articles:
- South Sudan, Sudan say pulling troops from tense border - AFP - 11/03/2013 10:41
- South Sudan army says to pull out of border buffer zone - Reuters - 11/03/2013 10:36
- Education and outreach key to combatting hepatitis outbreak in South Sudan - UNHCR (press release) - 11/03/2013 10:19
- Sudan-South Sudan security pact - Afrique en Ligue - 10/03/2013 08:54
- Sudan and South Sudan Security Agreement - US Department of State (press release) - 09/03/2013 08:34
Older news items
- UN chief hails new border agreements between Sudan, South Sudan - Shanghai Daily (subscription) - 08/03/2013 23:39
- Sudan, South Sudan agree to pull troops - CNN International - 08/03/2013 22:41
- South Sudan and Sudan to withdraw troops - The Voice of Russia - 08/03/2013 18:02
- South Sudan Woman Makes Good by Making Porridge - Voice of America - 08/03/2013 17:37
- Long, Hard Road to End South Sudan Child Marriage - Voice of America - 08/03/2013 14:47
Latest news items (all categories):
- Hope for Christmas gift as South Sudan talks return to Nairobi - 05/12/2024 10:26
- Chinese medical team brings relief to South Sudan patients - 05/12/2024 10:18
- Sudanese bishop speaks about being brutalized by soldiers - 05/12/2024 10:08
- President Biden: Absent Principles - No Honoring Words - Broken Promises - 05/12/2024 09:55
- South Sudan’s ‘Game Of Thrones’ Continues – Analysis - 01/12/2024 17:47
Random articles (all categories):
- [video] President Salva Kiir announced foil of a coup attempt - 16/12/2013 15:46
- only good leadership will turn things around in africa - 18/09/2023 00:19
- South Sudan looting of aid reflects the new nation's setbacks - 01/02/2014 01:26
- South Sudan stalemate ahead of peace talks deadline - 05/03/2015 11:38
- South Sudan blames Khartoum for 79 cattle raid deaths - 30/01/2012 23:54
Popular articles:
- Who is the darkest person in the world, according to Guinness World Record? - 25/10/2022 02:34 - Read 58606 times
- No oil in troubled waters - 25/03/2014 15:02 - Read 22220 times
- School exam results in South Sudan show decline - 01/04/2012 17:58 - Read 21368 times
- NDSU student from South Sudan receives scholarship - In-Forum - 29/09/2012 01:44 - Read 18900 times
- Top 10 weakest currency exchange rates in Africa in 2023 - 19/07/2023 00:24 - Read 18040 times