Nation And Eritrea Agreed to Remove Entry Visa Requirements for Citizens

Tesfa-Alem Tekle

12 May 2011

Addis Ababa — Sudan and Eritrea have agreed to abolish entry visas, opening their common borders for free movement of peoples and goods both ways, according to the state news agency ERINA.

Accordingly, the peoples of the two neighbouring countries will be able to pass to cross the common borders freely with ID cards, making entry visas no longer necessary for citizens of both countries.

The two countries have also agreed to facilitate goods and commodities traffic, without restrictions, organise inter-trade and remove all border crossing points that hinder the movement of citizens of the two countries.

The move comes after the Sudanese government delegation led by interior Minister, Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid held talks with President Isaias Afwerki on Tuesday in the Eritrean capital, Asmara.

Both parties conferred on ways of enhancing bilateral relations and evaluated the implementation of past agreements reached during the visit of President Omar Hassen Al-Bashir to Eritrea earlier this year.

Afwerki noted the stability of North Sudan and South Sudan means the stability of the entire region.

Hamid told journalists that the visit is aimed at further enhancing the existing relations of cooperation between the two countries and conveying the greetings of the Bashir to Afwerki.

The Eritrean regieme has been internationally condemned for human rights abuses. The UN Refugee Agency estimates that 3,000 Eritrean refugees enter Sudan and Ethiopia every month.

AllAfrica – All the Time