The governments of Sudan and South Sudan signed an agreement on Sunday regarding the immediate return of 12,000 stranded citizens on the southern port of Kosti.

The agreement also resulted in the formation of a committee to jointly control and monitor the operation.

The Director of the National Centre for Displacement and Voluntary Return (NCDVR) in Sudan welcomed the agreement and demanded that the displaced people be returned back to their original habitat.

Luca Joseph, the Deputy Commissioner of Humanitarian Aid in the Government of South Sudan, also hailed the move.

The agreement allows voluntary repatriation of Southerners to South Sudan from the port of Kosti river, which is under the control of the government of Sudan. In this case, the Sudanese government has made an exception to allow access to the South Sudanese relief operation.

Luca Joseph appreciated the steps to resume the voluntary return of those stranded on the port of Kosti after its collapse six months ago. He also reassured that the terms of agreement and guaranteed that the Government of South Sudan would not exploit the access to the river Nile.