The Finance Ministers of the Sudan and the State of South Sudan have agreed on a joint external move to exempt the Sudan's foreign debts, and to work for extension of the terms of the zero-option agreement that ends in October 2018.
The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Gen. Dr. Mohamed Osman al-Rekabi, stressed during his meeting, Monday, with the Minister of Finance of South Sudan, Esteeven Dewe Dow, in the presence of the undersecretaries of the two financial ministries of the two countries, the importance of the African Union's support for the joint efforts to deal with external debts.
The Minister has pledged to train the employees of the Ministry of Finance of south Sudan in all the Sudan's training institutions, indicating commitment to facilitating the delivery of the South Sudan's pensioners who had worked in the government sector prior to the separation, giving directives for the relevant authorities in the Ministry of Finance, and the concerned authorities to coordinate with the undersecretary of the south Sudan's Finance Ministry in this regard.
He underlined the government's concern in strengthening relations between the two countries. "We look forward to the visit of President Salva Kiir in the next two days, and we look forward for agreements that would build more confidence and good neighborly relations," he said.
On his part, the Minister of Finance of South Sudan, stressed his country's keenness to continue consultations with the government of Sudan, and to strengthening the economic, trade and banking ties.
The two sides have agreed to open the crossings, encourage trade between the two countries, facilitate the customs and banking procedures, facilitate the movement of citizens, and the flow of goods to contribute to the development of relations, and strengthen relations between the Sudan and South Sudan.