South Sudan Threatens to Close Borders with Sudan

According to an official in the Republic of South Sudan's capital of Juba, all borders with their new neighbors to the north, Sudan, will be closed within a little over a years time. By next December, there would then be total restriction of travel between the north and south, which could have devastating impacts on both countries economies, and overall well being.

A restriction of travel naturally means a restriction on the movement of goods, which would potentially worsen the already rapidly growing problem of food shortages and price hikes of many commodities. This move would also complicate another burgeoning issue; what to do with the oil that is produced largely in South Sudan, but that must travel north into Sudan where most of the refineries and pipelines are located.

Even more surprising is that this announcement comes just one week after a deal was brokered to open up 10 new border crossings between the countries. If both Sudan and South Sudan are honest about revitalizing and improving their respective situations, they need to realize how economically linked they are, and that it would be wise to try to open up more crossings, instead of taking them all away.

http://www.sudantribune.com/South-Sudan-to-shut-borders-with,40237

David Johnson