Marked are South Sudan-Sudan disputed border areas.

The governments of South Sudan and Sudan are expected to open bilaterally the common border between the two countries within one month.

That’s according to the Minister of Information, Michael Makuei Lueth.

In April last year,  the African Union Border Programme -AUBP, through its technical team completed marking three of agreed ten crossing points along the corridors of the Safe Demilitarized Border Zone between the two countries.

Mr. Makuei said a joint decision to allow free movement across the border has been made.

This, he said, was agreed this month during a meeting of the Joint Political and Security Mechanism on both nations which was established under the Cooperation agreement in 2012.

“These people in Khartoum have agreed that these corridors will be opened within one month.”

They include Kosti-Rank, Heglid-Bentiu, Tunga-Talodi and the river route between Kosti and Juba.

Minister Makuei said arrangements to create immigration offices and deploy police at the demilitarized zones by both parties are underway.

“There is no way you just declare the border open without first establishing those institutions or structures that will manage those corridors.”

Makuei appears to allude to previous announcements by the Sudanese government to reopen its border with South Sudan, but without implementation.