By Aly Verjee

The maxim that the test of any agreement is in its implementation is familiar to those who follow Sudanese politics, even from a distance. This article reviews the latest agreements reached between Sudan and South Sudan on September 27 in Addis Ababa, brokered by the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP). …

Both Sudan and South Sudan were under threat of UN sanctions if a deal was not reached. In time, the new agreements may be seen as the start of a more productive relationship between the two states, heralding the “brighter future” Ahmed Badawi describes. But it could easily be a false dawn, in a relationship still beset with mistrust. …

Aly Verjee is senior researcher at the Rift Valley Institute.