Ethiopia’s Abiy Ahmed sees breakthrough in talks, but no word from Sudan
Ethiopian leader says he has agreed with Sudan strongman al-Burhan to settle border dispute that has fuelled tension between the states
05 July 2022 - 19:05
byElias Biryabarema
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Sudanese military leader Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan speaks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed as Workneh Gebeyehu, executive secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, looks on during the 39th IGAD extraordinary summit in Nairobi, Kenya, July 5 2022. Picture: MONICAH MWANGI/ REUTERS
Nairobi — Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on Tuesday he had reached an agreement with the leader of neighbouring Sudan to peacefully settle a border dispute that has led to clashes.
Abiy met Sudan’s military leader, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, in Kenya's capital Nairobi, on the sidelines of a meeting for the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an eight-member regional bloc for the Horn of Africa and neighbouring states.
“We both made a commitment for dialogue (and) peaceful resolution to outstanding issues,” Abiy tweeted on Tuesday.
There was no immediate statement from the Sudanese side about the meeting.
On Monday, al-Burhan said the army would withdraw from ongoing internal political talks and allow political and revolutionary groups to form a civilian transitional government.
The long-running dispute over a contested fertile border region, al-Fashqa, has fuelled a surge in tensions between the two countries in recent years, including clashes.
In the latest trading of accusations between both nations, in June Sudan accused Ethiopia’s army of executing seven Sudanese soldiers and a civilian who had been taken captive.
The men had been seized on Sudanese territory on June 22 and taken into Ethiopia where they were killed, according to the Sudanese foreign ministry.
Ethiopia denied responsibility and blamed the killings on a local militia.
A day after the countries traded accusations over the killings, an Ethiopian official said Sudan's armed forces had fired heavy artillery during clashes in the disputed area.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Ethiopia’s Abiy Ahmed sees breakthrough in talks, but no word from Sudan
Ethiopian leader says he has agreed with Sudan strongman al-Burhan to settle border dispute that has fuelled tension between the states
Nairobi — Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on Tuesday he had reached an agreement with the leader of neighbouring Sudan to peacefully settle a border dispute that has led to clashes.
Abiy met Sudan’s military leader, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, in Kenya's capital Nairobi, on the sidelines of a meeting for the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an eight-member regional bloc for the Horn of Africa and neighbouring states.
“We both made a commitment for dialogue (and) peaceful resolution to outstanding issues,” Abiy tweeted on Tuesday.
There was no immediate statement from the Sudanese side about the meeting.
On Monday, al-Burhan said the army would withdraw from ongoing internal political talks and allow political and revolutionary groups to form a civilian transitional government.
The long-running dispute over a contested fertile border region, al-Fashqa, has fuelled a surge in tensions between the two countries in recent years, including clashes.
In the latest trading of accusations between both nations, in June Sudan accused Ethiopia’s army of executing seven Sudanese soldiers and a civilian who had been taken captive.
The men had been seized on Sudanese territory on June 22 and taken into Ethiopia where they were killed, according to the Sudanese foreign ministry.
Ethiopia denied responsibility and blamed the killings on a local militia.
A day after the countries traded accusations over the killings, an Ethiopian official said Sudan's armed forces had fired heavy artillery during clashes in the disputed area.
Reuters
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