The governments of Sudan and Ethiopia recently signed an accord facilitating the flow of goods and passengers through their borders, AFP reported. A joint Ethio-Sudan Border Committee will prepare future plans for further trade and travel cooperation, to be presented to a higher committee in March.
At present, the neighboring states have agreed to eradicate entry visas for diplomatic and special passports, speed up visa procedures for ordinary passport holders and grant entrance visas to businessmen upon arrival, confirmed Ethiopian official Abdou Legesse.
New consulates will be built in two border towns, flights between the countries will increase, and a reduction and abolition of tariffs on a number of goods will soon come into effect, confirmed Legesse.
Recent years have seen the Horn of Africa neighbors take tentative steps towards improving the relations. Ethiopia also signed a contract to import petroleum products from Sudan once a newly paved road link between the two countries opens. Sudan and Ethiopia are also promoting a $45 million project interconnecting their electricity grids, which will enable Sudan to utilize Ethiopia's surplus electric power. — (menareport.com)
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
