The new governor of the western Darfur region, Mini Arko Minawi, announced on Tuesday that he has agreed to reopen the borders for trade with Libya and other neighbouring countries.
Minawi, who spoke at his inauguration ceremony, said he wants to “build Sudan and put down the guns.” The Head of Sudan’s Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, in addition to other officials participated in the inauguration ceremony for Minawi.
The transitional government in Sudan has closed the country’s borders with Libya many times, citing security and economic risks. It has repeatedly complained of arms smuggling across its borders.
In April, the Sudanese Security and Defense Council, the highest authority in the country, began monitoring the borders to prevent the flow and spread of weapons. This is amid the wake of violence that broke out in Sudan on 3 April, and lasted for more than a week.