Sudan confirms security progress with South

Sudanese Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Mohamed Hussein has said that the implementation of security arrangements with South Sudan is moving in a positive direction. He added that a meeting will be held on April 15 to agree on a special mechanism to tackle the issues mentioned and signed between the two countries in February last year. Some of these points included a joint understanding, cooperation and unaggressive behaviour. The announcement has come in light of a meeting organised the joint political security committee on Thursday at the Sudanese Defence Ministry office. The meeting was attended by governors from border states with South Sudan. Sudanese Finance Minister Ali Mahmoud said that the agreement will lead to economic benefits and gains for the two countries. He called on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to provide technical assistance for the two to enforce the agreement, overcome the disputable issues and move forward. Vice president of the Middle East and Central Asia department in the International Monetary Fund, Edward LeGemayel, described the agreement as "a step in the right direction", pointing out that the IMF's mission aims to evaluate the economic performance of Sudan to prepare a report and submit it to the economic management of the Fund. Sudan asked the IMF to invite the international community to fulfill its obligations towards narrowing the cash gap, as well as accelerating elimination of Sudan's debt. Sudanese Deputy Finance Minister Yousef Hussein said that Sudan has agreed with the IMF mission to visit Sudan next June and discuss the implementation of the agreement on a macroeconomic scale."