Ethiopia, Sudan border solution will be ‘local’ – IGAD
Addis Ababa, July 18, 2022 (FBC) – Ethiopia and Sudan have pledged to discuss their border row for the long term, based on local realities.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) says it pushed parties to the table, but it will be entirely up to the two sides to draft an agreement to resolve lingering border tiffs.
IGAD Executive Secretary Dr Workneh Gebeyehu says both sides agree on the need for dialogue and have listened positively to pleas for non-violence. However, he says the border problem that has seen sporadic violence for years will require discussions only determined by the two leaders.
Nuur Mohamud Sheekh, Dr Workneh’s spokesman, told The EastAfrican diplomatic back channels saved the two from imploding last time.
“A lot of shuttle diplomacy was invested in this process that led up to the two sisterly countries showing strong preference for dialogue,” Sheekh said on Friday.
“He engaged both Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Sudan’s Sovereign Council Chairman Lt-Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, while consulting other leaders. This led to progress within a short time and the heads of state agreed to convene a summit.”
Last week, Prime Minister Abiy met with Lt-Gen al-Burhan on the sidelines of the IGAD Summit in Nairobi.
“In my discussions with Lt-Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, we have both agreed that our two countries have plenty of collaborative elements to work on peacefully,” Abiy indicated.
Ali Al-Sadiq, Sudanese, the Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs-in-charge suggested the border dispute has been influenced by changing weather patterns but promised the two sides will “face these challenges together.”