Delegations from the governments of South Sudan and Sudan are scheduled to meet today in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, to resume critical talks on post-independence issues stalled for over two months.
Jean Ping, the chairperson of the African Union, announced yesterday that the negotiations on outstanding issues between the two countries will resume today under the facilitation of the African Union High?Level Implementation Panel.The agenda of the talks includes citizenship and nationality, border issues and financial and other arrangements concerning the export of South Sudanese oil through Sudan to resume oil production and resolve all claims by both countries concerning matters related to oil.
The Joint Political and Security Mechanism deals with security concerns in a separate meeting on Thursday.
Mr Ping called on the Parties to seize the opportunity to reach agreement on the outstanding issues, in line with the agreed principle of two viable states mutually supportive and living side?by?side in peace.
The Panel is asking both parties to extend the transition period on issues of nationality and citizenship beyond April 8 and scale up the issuance of identity documents to nationals of one country who reside in the other, and to facilitate the return to the country of origin.