Addis Ababa, 31 July 2011: The African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) welcomes the agreement on the Border Monitoring Support Mission, reached between the Government of the Sudan and the Government of South Sudan, in Addis Ababa on 30 July 2011.
The two governments have reaffirmed their commitment to the agreement signed on 29 June 2011 between the Government of the Sudan and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, concerning the establishment of a Joint Political and Security Mechanism (JPSM) to oversee security of the common border between the two states.
Providing security along the border is a matter of particular importance and urgency. The AUHIP is confident that the mechanisms provided for in this agreement, including third party monitoring and verification, will contribute towards the construction of peaceful relations between the two States.
As the first formal bilateral accord between the two states, this agreement augurs well for their future peaceful cooperation.
The AUHIP will continue to support the two States in implementing this agreement and in their efforts to complete negotiations on a range of issues that will support their mutual viability.
The two States have agreed to convene the first meeting of the JPSM on 17 August 2011, in Khartoum.