By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
March 4, 2012 (ADDIS ABABA) – The governments of Ethiopia and newly independent South Sudan signed eight memorandums of understanding to enhance their economic and diplomatic ties, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The agreements were signed during the first Ethiopia-South Sudan Joint Ministerial Committee meeting held in Juba from 27 February to 2 March 2012.
The joint meeting was co-chaired by Ethiopian deputy prime minister and foreign minster Hailemariam Desalegn and his South Sudanese counterpart, Nhial Deng Nhial.
The meeting, which was held under the theme: “together let us embrace our historic relations”, reviewed a broad range of cooperation in the areas of political, economic, infrastructure, aviation, and charter out mechanism of future cooperation.
At the end of the five day joint meeting, the two sides signed a joint strategic partnership to promote development, peace, security and stability in the region and the whole of Africa. Other areas covered included cooperation in the fields of transit, transport, export, communication, education and capacity building.
Addis Ababa and Juba are expected to implement these agreements within the next six months.
Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), environment, health, energy, science and technology were also other focus of talks.
Following the meeting, the Ethiopia Foreign minister said the first Ethiopia-South Sudan ministerial meeting was fruitful.
Addressing the meeting, Desalegn recalled Ethiopia’s support to South Sudan during their struggle for independence and reaffirmed that his country would similarly extend every support to the ongoing efforts in building the new nation, which officially proclaimed independence on 9 July 2011.
The Ethiopian official assured that his country is keen to further strengthen cordial relations with South Sudan.
His South Sudanese counterpart, Nhial, hailed the role Ethiopia played to a bring about the peaceful separation between North and South Sudan and further lauded the continued role it currently is exerting to peacefully resolve the differences and other pending post-split issues between Khartoum and Juba.
The two sides are still to find agreement on borders, citizenship, debt, oil and the contested region of Abyei. Ethiopia has sent peacekeepers to Abyei, which is claimed by both countries.
Ethiopia is seen by many as a neutral arbitrator between Sudan and South Sudan.
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