Khartoum projects trade volume with Juba to double

November 25, 2013 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese government announced on Monday that it expects trade volume with South Sudan to double following the recent opening of border crossings.

The Sudanese 1st VP Ali Osman Mohamed Taha today chaired the meeting of the Supreme Committee to follow up on the implementation of joint cooperation agreements with Juba signed last year.

The meeting listened to detailed reports by the heads of the subcommittees which included security, military and economic affairs, trade, banking, transport, services, employment and training and capacity building .

The joint chair of the executive committee of the higher committee between the two countries Salah al-Deen Wansi presented a summary of the implementation of cooperation agreements through joint committees, ministries and counterparts from the two sides .

The Supreme Committee commended the level of political, economic and social activities that occurred between the two countries under the auspices of the African Union (AU) mediation team headed by Thabo Mbeki and called for intensified political and diplomatic communication, and accelerating steps to bolster economic and trade cooperation.

The pro-government Sudanese Media Center (SMC) website quoted the chairman of the committee on trade in the ministry of Commerce Hassan Ibn-Ouf as saying that trade volume will grow to 14,000 tons compared to 7,000 tons prior to the south’s secession.

The Sudanese official said that this will make his country the largest exporter of goods to South Sudan.

Ibn-Ouf explained that the agreement between the two countries to open ten border crossing points between the two neighbors will contribute to boosting the economic activities.

He indicated that Sudan will be the main partner of South Sudan by virtue of ties between the two peoples and the existence of trade relations between individuals in the two countries.

(ST)