South Sudan and Sudan have reiterated their commitment to implement the Cooperation Agreements the two countries signed in September 2012.

South Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin, and his Sudanese counterpart, Ali Ahmed Kerti, addressed a joint press conference at Diplomatic Club in Khartoum last night.

The two ministers said there is an urgent need for the two countries to expedite the implementation of the Cooperation Agreements.

They agreed that South Sudan and Sudan should hold a joint security committee meeting in mid-January to solve outstanding security issues between the two countries.

Kerti told the media that they have agreed that the joint security committee should urgently discuss the demarcation of zero borderline that will help create the demilitarized buffer zone between the two countries.

He said the accusations between Juba and Khartoum that each government supports rebel groups in the two countries should be resolved within the joint security committee meeting, but not through the media.

Dr. Barnaba Marial on his part, said there are cordial relations between South Sudan and Sudan despite that there are some “doubts” as a result of misunderstanding.

He said the President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir, is helping Sudan to have its external debts cancelled by the international community.

Dr. Barnaba Marial is also in Khartoum to attend the 58^th anniversary celebrations of Sudan’s Independence, which will take place later to night.

Sudan gained its independence on the 1^st of January 1956 from Britain.