Sudan welcomes Eritrea-Ethiopia positive developments
June 26, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan has welcomed the positive developments between Addis Ababa and Asmara following the arrival of the high-level Eritrean officials to Addis Ababa.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was personally on Tuesday at the Bole International Airport to welcome the Eritrean Minister of Foreign Affairs Osman Saleh and President Isaias Afwerki’s Advisor Yemane Gebreab.
The visit comes six days after the announcement by President Afwerki that he would send a delegation to Addis Abba “to gauge current developments directly and in depth as well as to chart out a plan for continuous future action”.
Speaking in a meeting held at the House of Peoples Representatives with the visiting delegation, Abiy reiterated his pledge to end the conflict over the border area and to implement the peace agreement between the two countries.
“With the government of Eretria, we want from the bottom of our hearts that the disagreement that has reigned for years to come to an end. We would also discharge our responsibility,” he said.
“On behalf of the Government of Sudan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to give a great welcome to the contacts between the two countries and hope it marks the beginning of a new phase in the relations between the two neighbouring countries,” reads a statement issued in Khartoum on Tuesday.
Khartoum further expressed its confidence in the ability of the two countries to restore bilateral relations and achieve the interests of the two peoples and to promote security, stability in the region.
The Sudanese government, during the past years, tried several times to broker talks between two neighbours on the implementation of the Algiers peace deal. But, in vain Asmara requested the withdrawal of the Ethiopian troops from the disputed border area of Badme first.
Sudan hopes to create a regional economic organization and to open border for trade and people between the three countries.
The statement said the Sudanese foreign minister has been briefed about the visit by his Ethiopian counterpart.
(ST)