Ethiopia, South Sudan conclude 1st Joint Border Administrators and Governors meeting

Addis Ababa, July 5, 2024 (FBC) – The first Ethiopia-South Sudan Joint Border Administrators and Governors meeting winds up today after two days of successful deliberations on major issues of security, migration, trade, infrastructure development and socio-cultural exchanges, among others.

During his opening remarks, Ambassador Mesganu Arga, State Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, underscored that Ethiopians and South Sudanese are linked by history, blood and a shared desire for peace, progress and prosperity.

He stressed the necessity to unify the visions and positions of the two countries and the importance of taking consistent joint actions to address their common challenges that have negative repercussions on the security, stability and development of the two brotherly countries and on the region at large.

Expressing that this meeting will serve as a framework to reach consensus on basic issues of common interest, he urged all stakeholders to work towards realizing the successful implementation of the understandings reached.

Ambassador Monday Semaya K. Kumba, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of South Sudan, stated on his part that the commencement of this meeting is an important milestone in the history of the bilateral engagement of the two countries as it helps to resolve common challenges amicably through mutual understanding.

Acknowledging the support of Ethiopia since the time of the struggle for independence, he reiterated South Sudan’s commitment to the implementation of the resolutions on which the two sides agreed, as stated by MFA Ethiopia.