A hero's welcome as Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir returns home after signing a landmark deal with South Sudan to secure their shared border and boost trade.
People lined the streets of Khartoum
The border deal, was reached after three weeks of negotiations. It will throw both ailing economies a lifeline and prevent, for now, a resumption of the fighting that broke out along the frontier in April and came close to war.
(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SUDAN PRESIDENT, OMAR HASSAN AL BASHIR, SAYING:
"The people of Sudan and the people of South Sudan are brothers, as they used to be before the separation and this time we will be dealing with a peaceful neighbor without weapons but as friends."
Relations between the two countries have been bitter since South Sudan gained independence from Sudan last year.
