The African Union Commission (AUC) called upon the international community to provide economic assistance to Sudanese government, which is suffering from the sustained sanctions and the war-torn South Sudan.
The Chairperson of AUC, Moussa Faki Mahamat, made the remark at the fourth meeting of the Tripartite Committee of the Joint Approach to the International Community held in Addis Ababa over the weekend.
With the facilitation of the African Union (AU) High Level Implementation Panel, Sudan and South Sudan recommitted themselves to work together to achieve international support for their economies.
The meeting agreed on strategies and the next steps for engaging creditors and donors, according to the AU.
The Chairperson of the Commission reiterated, in particular, the African Union’s support for the decision of the United States in January 2017 to commence the process of lifting of sanctions against Sudan, and noted with satisfaction the positive actions that the Government of Sudan continues to sustain in collaboration with the United States.
The Chairperson shares the confidence of the Committee that Sudan is on course to achieve the lifting of sanctions.
The African Union considers that the assistance of the international community on lifting sanctions, securing debt relief and providing urgent development assistance for South Sudan is critical for the livelihood of the people of the two States, and the stability of the region.
The Chairperson particularly welcomes the decision of the Committee to promote joint development programmes along the common border areas, in line with the principles of a “soft border” and the vision of attaining two viable States at peace with each other, according to the statement of the AU.
The Tripartite Committee was established under the Cooperation Agreement of 2012 between Sudan and South Sudan to jointly pursue debt relief, lifting of Sudanese sanctions and economic assistance to Sudan and South Sudan.
The Chairperson further stressed that the African Union will continue to support and facilitate the work of the Tripartite Committee in its endeavours to secure the much needed economic assistance and stability.