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The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU),
Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, commends the Parliaments of South Sudan and Sudan for
ratifying, on 16 and 17 October 2012, respectively, the agreements signed between the two
countries, in Addis Ababa, on 27 September 2012, under the auspices of the AUHIP. The
ratification is a significant step that will make it possible to proceed to the effective
implementation of the signed agreements, including the resumption of economic activities
between the two countries and oil production, as well as the opening of the common border to
facilitate trade and movement of people.

The Chairperson encourages the two countries to ensure that all other agreed mechanisms are
put in place. In this respect, she stresses that the speedy establishment of the Safe
Demilitarized Border Zone and deployment of the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring
Mechanism will greatly contribute to the stabilization of the border areas.

The Chairperson assures the Governments of the two countries that the Commission, through
the AUHIP, is fully committed to supporting the implementation of the signed agreements and
the resolution of the outstanding issues, so that a comprehensive settlement to all the postsecession
issues in their relations is expeditiously reached.

It is to be recalled that the AU Peace and Security Council will meet in Addis Ababa, at
ministerial level, on 24 October 2012, to deliberate on the situation and assess the
implementation status of its roadmap of 24 April 2012 and Security Council resolution 2046
(2012) of 2 May 2012.