The African Union (AU) announced on Monday that Sudan and South Sudan would resume negotiations on outstanding issues in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on March 6.The Union said in a press statement that the two countries would hold the negotiations under the facilitation of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP). Their agenda includes citizenship and nationality, border issues, as well as financial arrangements. Other issues concern the transhipment of South Sudanese oil through Sudan, and the use of Sudanese oil infrastructure by South Sudan, which would allow resumption of South Sudanese oil production and the resolution of all claims by both countries concerning matters related to oil, said the Union. Security concerns would be dealt with through the Joint Political and Security Mechanism (JPSM), scheduled to meet in Juba, South Sudan, on March 8. The two countries will discuss the demarcation of their common border, the resolution of the status of the disputed areas as well as oil and related issues. Jean Ping, Chairperson of the AU Commission, called on the parties to seize the opportunity of the forthcoming negotiations to reach agreement on the outstanding issues, in line with the agreed principle of two viable states mutually supportive and living side-by-side in peace. He urged them to approach the negotiation with the required spirit of compromise and mutual accommodation. Beginning in July 2010, the AUHIP has facilitated negotiations between the two parties on post-referendum and post-secession arrangements, AU said, adding that progress was made and a number of key issues are still outstanding.
