Ethio-Sudanese Border Relations- Common Interests, Mutual Benefits
06 February, 2011
Khartoum, (Sudanow)—The deep-rooted Sudanese-Ethiopian relations have been distinguished throughout ages and stand as a good example for African states in sustained ties in the political, economic, social and security spheres.
The conferences on development of the border relations between the two, which have now reached 14 sessions, have played a major role in confidence-building and in exchanging benefits that have positively contributed to the development of the common border region reflected in developmental services all along the 1,602-km-long borderline.
The latest on of those conferences was convened in Sinjah, the capital of the Sudanese Sennar State, during last December 23-25 in participation of the border states of The Blue Nile, Sennar, Gedaref and Kassala with the absence of Upper Nile State on allegation that it was not invited by the host Sennar State. Participants of the Ethiopian side were the regions of Amamra, Tegrai, Bene Shangool, Gomez and Gumbailah.
The Sudanese side was headed by Sennar State Governor Ahmed Abbas Mohamed
and the Ethiopian side by Tegrai Region Governor Eyai Wouldu while Blue Nile Governor Malik Agar, Gedaref State Governor Karamallah Abbas and Kassala State Deputy Governor Ali al-Awad took part in the conference.
The conference split into four committees- one to discuss security and political issues, another to address economic, trade and investments aspects, a third one to deal with social, cultural, youth and sports matters and a fourth committee handle the agricultural and health questions.
The opening session which was held in the evening of December 24 at the hall of the Secretariat of Sennar State government was chaired by Prof. Al-Amin Dafa'alla, the Secretary-General of the High Council of the Central Rule, who commended the intimate ties between the Sudan and Ethiopia. He stressed the importance of convening such border gatherings for facilitating movements of the peoples of the two countries across the common borderline.Prof. Dafa'alla highlighted the tremendous developments which have occurred since the holding of the first Sudanese-Ethiopian border development conference in Gedarif State in 2001.
Sennar State Governor Ahmed Abbas Mohamed said the 13th conference further underlines the deep-rooted cultural and traditional bonds which he said constitutes a solid base for cooperation and lasting friendship between the border regions of the two countries.
The Governor said the two sides would shortly exchange notes of agreements on custom duties and other issues, pointing out that the conference has made a number of recommendations conducive to serving the common interests of the two countries.
He added that the conference would agree on procedures for facilitating movements and taking care of the rights of seasonal Ethiopian workers in Sudan.
After praising the proper organization of the conference, Blue Nile State Governor and Chairman of the Political and Security Committee Malik Agar said his committee has discussed several important issues and has recommended formation of permanent committees to serve as mechanisms for implementation of the recommendations.
The head of the Ethiopian side, Eyai Wouldu noted that the conference was held in the framework of serving the common interests of the two countries. He added that the recommendations of the previous conference that was held in Ethiopia in December in 2009 are now being implemented in all spheres.
Speaking to Sudanow on the sidelines of the conference, Ambassador Mohamed Yusuf, the Director of the Bilateral Relations in the Sudanese Embassy in Addis Ababa, said the conference is considered by the Sudanese Government and Embassy an important event that further strengthens the bilateral relations at the federal level. It places the border bonds to serve the bilateral interests of the two countries, he added.
Ambassador Yusuf went on to say that those border conferences have solved many problems which used to be a source of insomnia and tension between the two countries. Those past problems included infiltration, border insecurity and illegal farming, he said, calling for granting full mandate to the border committees to solve arising border questions without going back to higher authorities.
Ambassador Yusuf said high level meetings of police, security and defense authorities have been held here and there, while monitoring and communication points run by officers of both side working together on both border areas to monitor any activities threatening the security and to prevent infiltration of opposition elements, moving patrols along the border and exchanging information and reports on any activity that poses a threat to either country.
Gedaref State Governor Karamallah Abbas, the Chairman of the Agricultural Committee, told Sudanow that the border conference has emphasized that the border interests have become an issue of concern to both countries and that the border areas are witnessing intensive agricultural activity.
Those conferences which have begun in 2001, are of utmost importance and have established common ties and interests in all agricultural, pastoral, security and commercial fields, Abbas said.
They have solved many security problems, including robbery and looting, and have thus gone far in maintenance of stability on the common borderline, he added.
Gedaref State's Basunda Locality Commissioner Osman Adam Ibrahim, member of the political and security committee, who pointed out that his Locality is neighbouring Ethiopia on the southeastern border, indicated the need for a firm line of social contacts between the peoples of the two countries led by senior officials of the Sudanese border localities and Ethiopian border regions.
Ibrahim said the commissioners of Basunda localities and the commissioner of the Ethiopian Gondar Province used to hold periodic meetings during which mechanisms of maintaining cordial ties, resolving disputes and exchanging information have been established to ensure the prevalence of stability.
The two sides exchanged during the closing session viewpoints on further boosting the existing ties of cooperation in various fields and passed recommendations for strengthening future cooperation. They expressed their satisfaction with implementation of the recommendations of the 12th conference which was held in Mekele, Ethiopia in 2009. The two sides also agreed on upgrading the levels of cooperation for the benefit of the two parties.
The two sides agreed to hold the next conference in Ethiopia, provided that the date and venue of the meeting be determined through the diplomatic channels.
The recommendations of the conference covered the various aspects which were discussed by the conferees. With regards to the political and security issue, the two sides called for empowering the border security and administrative authorities for resolving some of the urgent problems in a manner that observes the interests of the two peoples .
They recommended the holding of joint high-level periodic meetings to follow up implementation of the resolution and recommendations of the conferences.
With respect to the border trade and other related issues, the conference recommended preparation of a development plan to be implemented through joint projects in addition to organizing and activating trade fairs by the Sudanese sates and Ethiopian regions.
The recommendations included one for setting up a smart partnership between the two sides of the border for achieving integration and development and another recommendation on customs, taxes and migration policies, provided that the interests of the two countries are respected.
The conference recommended the provision of small-financing services for the producers in addition to correcting the border trade.
It also recommended moving commercial caravans between the two countries in addition to activating cultural relations through exchange of radio and TV programmes in local languages and training courses to help in raising public awareness.
The recommendations of the conference called for moving political convoys, organizing joint camps and activating tourism between the two countries besides activating the health and agricultural mechanisms.
end mohamed osman adam
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