South Sudan information minister arrives in Khartoum for talks on border disputes

JUBA – South Sudan’s minister of information and government spokesman Michael Makuei Lueth has arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum leading a high-level delegation that is expected to engage the Sudanese government on disputed areas.

Since secession of South Sudan from Sudan to become the world’s youngest country in 2011, the two countries have been contesting the border areas of Abyei, Kaka El Tijariya, Debbat El Fukhar/Megenes Mountains, Bahr El Arab, and Kafia Kingi/Hafrat El Nukhas.

During a 2012 debate on Al Jazeera TV, Taban Deng Gai, then Unity state governor, now one of South Sudan’s five vice-presidents, said disputed areas also include Panthoara (Heglig), in Unity state, and Jebeleen in Upper Nile state.

Speaking to reporters in Khartoum following his arrival on Sunday, Makuei said he came to Sudan to discuss and engage the Sudanese government on outstanding issues mainly the border disputes.

“We came here to continue discussion on outstanding issues and that is the disputed and claimed areas,” Makuei said, adding that the trip is “a continuation of a meeting [in which] we will be receiving a report from the JDC (the Join Demarcation Committee] because the JDC was given an assignment by the [Joint Border Commission] to research and present a report or present their finding to the JBC.”

The senior government official further said he is optimistic that they will reach an agreement that will resolve once and for all the disputes on areas between Sudan and South Sudan which has always resulted in strained relations between them.

“We are optimistic that this time we will be in a position to [….] resolve some of the issues,” Makuei added.