Sudan, AU discuss mounting tensions in the region
January 12, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) Chief of General Staff, Lieut. General Emad al-Din Adawi has discussed with the African Union (AU) Commissioner for Peace and Security Ismail Sharqi recent developments between Sudan and its neighbours.
According to Ashorooq TV, Adawi and the AU official on Thursday discussed a number of internal and regional issues in Addis Ababa in the presence of Sudan’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Gamal al-Shiekh.
Following the meeting, Shraqi told reporters that Adawi briefed him on several issues including “the need to maintain a good climate among all countries in the region, including Eritrea”.
For his part, Al-Shiekh said the meeting discussed Sudan’s relationship with the AU and the neighbouring countries.
“We discussed the situation in the region, particularly the recent developments,” he said
Commenting on the recent visit of the Eritrean President to Egypt, Al-Shiekh said: “no country should interfere in the bilateral relations between two sovereign states”.
On Monday, Adawi arrived in Addis Ababa to deliver a message from the Sudanese president to the Ethiopian Prime Minister.
His visit comes after the deployment of Sudanese troops along the border with Eritrea and the closure of the joint border with the isolated eastern neighbour.
On Thursday, Sudan admitted that the deployment of troops along the Eritrean border came as result of military threats from Eritrea and Egypt against the country.
New tensions have erupted between Sudan and Egypt following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Khartoum in late December.
On 4 January Sudan summoned its ambassador to Egypt for consultation, hours after the head of the Sudanese Border Technical Committee, Abdallah Al-Sadiq, accused Egypt of trying to drag Sudan into a direct military confrontation.
Also, there were media reports that Eritrean military reinforcements, backed by Egypt, as well as Darfur rebel movements, were stationed at Sawa base near the Sudanese-Eritrean border.
Eritrea was in good terms with Sudan but Asmara was frustrated by the improvement of relations with Addis Ababa particularly after the signing of a mutual defence treaty between Sudan and its foe Ethiopia in April 2017.
(ST)