ADDIS ABABA, May 3 (Xinhua) -- A joint Ethiopian-Sudanese force has started patrol operations to stop human trafficking and drug smuggling on their common borders.
According to a report on the pro-government media outlet Radio Fana, the two nations started the patrol to prevent and combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling as well as security threats on their common borders.
Abebe Aynete, senior researcher at the Ethiopian Foreign Relations Strategic Studies (EFRSS), a local think thank, says the joint patrol is part of efforts by East Africa's largest nation and its most populous state to better integrate their economies.
"The joint patrol will deepen the strategic alliance between the two nations, with the possible reinstating of visa free agreement coming as a next step," he says.
The two countries previously had visa free agreements suspended in the 1990s after a failed assassination attempt on ex-Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in 1995 in Addis Ababa soured the relationship.
Sudan, which at the time had been accused of supporting Islamist movements in North East Africa, had refused to hand over suspects allegedly involved in the failed assassination attempt.
"Sudan has a deep defense cooperation agreement with Ethiopia and this latest move will add on both countries relationship which is based on long term win-win agreement," says Aynete.
Already, crossborder transportation between the Ethiopia and Sudan started last month. This is in an addition to other economic cooperation schemes, including landlocked Ethiopia using Sudanese ports for its exports, while Sudan imports 100 Mega Watts of Electricity in return.
