Russia is leading a new round of mediation between Sudan and South Sudan.

Relations between the neighbouring and brotherly countries of Sudan and South Sudan are expected to witness greater normalisation beginning today, September 10, 2015 as officials of the two countries whose relations had been characterised by crisis, will begin meeting in the Russian capital, Moscow.

Indeed, Russia is leading a new round of mediation between the two countries to ensure the implementation of the recent agreements struck on bilateral relations between Sudan and South Sudan, Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reported, citing the country’s Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour. The Foreign Ministers of Sudan, Russia and South Sudan will meet in Russia this Thursday, September 10, 2015 to discuss tripartite relations between Khartoum, Moscow and Juba as well as the South Sudan-Sudan relations, the new agency reported.

RFI further said that Russian Foreign Minister Sergueï Lavrov and the representatives of Sudan and South Sudan will discuss strained relations between Sudan and South Sudan, as well as efforts to resolve the civil war in South Sudan. “The Sudan’s relations with South Sudan is supposed to be better, theoretically, but there are some pending issues between the two states, most importantly, the implementation of the nine cooperation agreements signed by the two presidents, Field Marshal Omar Al-Bashir, the President of the Republic [of the Sudan] and Major General Salva Kiir, President of South Sudan, on September 9, 2012,” SUNA quotes Sudan’s Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour as saying.

He reportedly added that his visit to Russia on Wednesday, September 9, 2015 marks the third anniversary of the Addis Ababa agreement, although only one of the nine agreements was implemented,  the agreement on the transfer of South Sudan’s oil through Port Sudan. The visit that ends tomorrow, September 11, 2015, he further said is in response to an invitation from the Russian Foreign Minister. According to Ghandour, they will discuss bilateral relations between Russia and the Sudan in all fields; in addition to the coordination of regional and international issues.