By Ngor Deng Matem
The South Sudan-Sudan border crossing point at Majok Yinhthiou of Aweil East County of South Sudan and Merriem of Kordofan region of Sudan has officially reopened after 5 months of closure.
Earlier in January 2022, authorities of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state temporarily closed the border in protest to the killing of civilians in Yinh Pabol area by suspected Misseriya armed youth of Sudan.
On Friday afternoon 20th May 2022, TWENTY-SEVEN trucks carrying assorted goods arrived in Aweil town of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State accompanied by the authorities from Merriem of Sudan’s Kordofan Region.
The Sudan’s delegation was received at Majok Wuoi, North of Majok Yinhthiou by the senior government officials from NBGs headed by the State Finance Minister Andrea Lual Buola among others.
Other government officials in attendance were some cabinet ministers, commissioner for Aweil East County, town Mayor of Majok Yinhthiou municipal Council, among others.
On the other hand, both the Sudanese delegation and NBGs authorities agreed to allow the Sudanese cattle to migrate into Aweil soon.
Speaking to the media, Northern Bhar El Ghazal State Minister of Finance Andrea Lual Buola said that the initiative came as result of the agreement between the governments of South Sudan and Sudan to reopen the border.
“The arrival of the trucks with goods was part of the implementation to the agreement the two governments of South Sudan and Sudan reached to reopen our border for the interest of both countries and people. This initiative will help us a lot,” Lual affirmed.
Meanwhile some residents of Aweil town have welcome the reopening of the Majok Yinhthiou border town crossing to Sudan.
Mr. Emmanuel Noon Angok, a businessman in Aweil town hoped that prices of commodities would reduce.
“We have only been relying on the Aweil North and Darfur road which supplies less goods into the state. So the resumption of this road will address the shortage of goods in the market. It will automatically reduce the prices of goods respectably food items,” Noon reveals
Another trader in Aweil market Mr. Musa Babiekir expressed appreciation to both governments of the two countries for agreeing to renew border relations.
“The closure of this border has affected many people indirectly. The goods have not been coming to the markets as usual and this forces the buying prices of goods to hike. It also affected the movement of people from here to Sudan seeking for treatment. It has been taking patients more days to go to Khartoum through Darfur route but now it will only take someone one to two days to reach Khartoum and vice versa,” Musa.
On 4th January 2022, more than twenty people were killed in Aweil East County by the armed men from Misseriya. Few days later the NBGs closed the border in solidarity to the victims and survivors until the culprits are held accountable fir the crime committed.