The 7th Ethio-Sudanese Joint Defense Committee of the Chiefs of Staff concluded its three day meeting here in Addis Ababa on October 1st. The meeting was held under the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Defense Ministries with a view to boosting the existing excellent relations for maintaining common security. The Joint Committee was briefed on the performance reports of collaboration in areas of defense. It then put forward observations and recommendations for better implementation. Discussions also covered a wide range of issues related to security as well as the need for cultural and sports exchanges between border area units, peacekeeping issues and training and matters of over-flight and related issues. The Joint Committee identified the strengths and weaknesses of recent performance, and made recommendations in a number of areas. It concluded by signing the Renewed Action Plan to be implemented over the next three years (October 2012-2015), and agreed that the next Ethio-Sudan Joint Defense Committee meeting should be held in Khartoum, in February 2013.

The meeting reviewed the implementation of decisions reached during the previous 6th Ethio-Sudanese sub-committee meeting, held February 6th-7th this year in Khartoum. The Committee noted that it appreciated the mutual understanding and commitment both countries had shown in combating and controlling anti-peace elements, arms smuggling, contraband and human trafficking in respective territories and border areas. On security, the two sides discussed the status of joint field patrol activities, noting that joint patrolling had been conducted as scheduled. Both sides made it clear they welcomed the ongoing process of information exchanges at all levels and emphasized the need to continue the timely exchange of accurate and relevant information.

On peace keeping, the Joint Committee noted that both countries were working cooperatively as IGAD member states to achieve their common interests of ensuring both national and regional security. Both sides noted the deployment and rotation of Ethiopian peacekeepers in UNISFA and UNAMID was being conducted efficiently and well. The Committee expressed its appreciation of timely facilitation efforts from the Sudanese side and the readiness to cooperate to solve minor problems. The two sides also agreed, following their previous meeting and resolutions in Khartoum, on the need to ensure planned exchanges of experience in areas of peace-keeping, and especially for the officers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the Sudanese Armed Forces to make use of Ethiopian experiences in peace-keeping. They urged the early commencement of experience-sharing programs. The meeting stressed the need for both sides to continue to work closely with the Sudanese Defense Ministry and the Ethiopian Peace-keeping Center in all areas, including the facilitation of deployment and rotation, and of flight requests by UNAMID and UNISFA.

In its review of previous activity, the Joint Committee identified an excellent level of cooperation in the provision and exchange of continuous, timely, accurate and relevant information, and good cooperation between their respective border units and of a valuable joint patrolling process of border areas. The success of joint control of anti-peace elements and joint patrolling measures was also welcomed. Both sides have also now agreed on the importance of ensuring active participation of the civilian administrations on both sides of the border in any future joint meeting. They will have an important contribution to make to the joint efforts to control anti-peace elements, arms smuggling, contraband and human trafficking. Similarly, as a valuable way forward on issues of security, the two sides have agreed to follow the security situation at border areas very closely and conduct more frequent joint field patrols. They have also agreed to further increase existing coordination between local authorities, police, customs and armed forces in the border areas. They have decided to maintain timely exchanges of intelligence, and they underlined the importance of improving further the existing information exchange mechanisms, including the use of liaison officers. In other areas, the two sides have also agreed to set up exchange scholarships, and to ensure the continuation of experience-sharing in agreed priority areas through lectures and seminars. The Joint Committee recommended the need to increase the numbers of exchange visits and training activities in areas of mutual request.

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Source: A Week in the Horn – October 5, 2012 issue. Originally titled “The Ethio-Sudanese Joint Defense Committee meets”.

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