This archive report was first published on 23 August 2021.
On August 23, 2021, Sudan and South Sudan announced a historic agreement to reopen their borders, marking the end of a 11-year closure.
According to a joint press statement, the two countries agreed to open four border crossing posts, including Jebeleen-Renk, Meriam, Buram-Tumsah, and Kharsana-Panakuac, with the official launch set for October 1, 2021.
The decision comes after a meeting between South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok in Juba, where they engaged in extensive talks and candid discussions on all aspects of cooperation.
The border closure, which was imposed in 2011, had a significant impact on traders and communities on both sides of the disputed line, with most of the 2,000 borders closed during Omar Bashir's regime.
However, in January 2016, President Omar Hassan al-Bashir of Sudan ordered the opening of his country's border with South Sudan, but this did not last.
