Sudan, Ethiopia agree to hold bilateral talks on border dispute

July 5, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan and Ethiopia agreed to form a joint committee tasked with the resolution of the border dispute between the two countries, said Prime Minister Ahmed Abiy.

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Head of the Sovereign Council in Sudan and Abiy held a meeting on Tuesday on the sidelines of an IGAD summit in Nairobi to discuss the recent military escalation after the murder of seven Sudanese troops.

The military-led presidency in Khartoum said the two leaders agreed to resolve the outstanding contentious issues between Sudan and Ethiopia through peaceful means and dialogue.

In statements reported by the official Ethiopian News Agency, Abiy said they agreed to form a bilateral committee.

“The two countries have agreed to set up a committee to resolve some of the issues through dialogue and negotiations in a manner that respects international principles,” he said.

In December 2020, Sudan refused to open talks on border demarcation after claims by Abiy’s government that Al-Fashaga is an Ethiopian territory

The Sudanese government rejects the claim pointing to the agreements of 1902 and 1972.

Also, Khartoum calls to pose the border markers before holding talks on how to allow Ethiopian farmers to cultivate the area as foreign investors working side-by-side with the Sudanese farmers.

(ST)