Photo courtesy of United Nations

The Foreign Ministers of Sudan and the newly formed State of South Sudan told attendees on Monday at the International Conference on Investment in Sudan held in Vienna that they would work together for peace, reported Reuters.

"I assure you ... we are committed, both countries, not to go back to war. We are committed to talk and talk and talk," said Sudan's Foreign Minister Ali Ahmed Karti.

This is a big step toward consolidating not only peace among the two nations whose divorce is just over a year-old and whose economies and social conditions are in dire need of help for growth and recovery.

When South Sudan decided to stop pumping its oil back January, resulting after disputes whereby South Sudan was blaming Sudan for re-routing its oil and charging too much to transport it to export terminals on the Red Sea; causing serious repercussions to both countries' economies, which rely heavily on crude oil sales.

Eight months later, in August of this year, South Sudan agreed to restart pumping oil through Sudan as part of a partial peace deal reached between the former civil war enemies.

The agreement was the most significant point of progress since the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was reached that culminated in January 2005 and signed between the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the Government of Sudan.

Moving ahead, as the two nations attend the Conference that is designed to explore mechanisms for international cooperation and investment opportunities in Sudan- both countries are publically calling for international assistance cooperation.
 

The Conference aims to address the economic conditions of Sudan and South Sudan.  Reports indicate that the Sudanese delegation is taking part in the conference with the European Union and a number of Arab and European economic institutions.

The recent agreements between the two countries have encouraged the international community to hold the Conference. The investment Conference will run through October 12.