Ethiopia and Sudan to open consular offices at regional levels

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

December 28, 2011 (ADDIS ABABA) – Ethiopia and Sudan have reached an agreement to open consular offices in one another’s major cities, according to the Ethiopian ministry of foreign affairs.

The East African neighbours made the agreement during the second Ethiopia-Sudan joint political committee in Khartoum from 22-25 December 2011.

Ethiopia will open consular offices in Sudanese states of Gedaref, and Damazin.

Sudan will open offices in Gondar and Bahir-Dar cities of Amhara regional state.

All of these regions are in the borderlands between Sudan and Ethiopia.

During the meeting the two sides entered into two memorandums of understanding and further agreed to sign an additional two within two months.

Opening the consular offices at regional city levels will allow the two countries to provide assistance to its citizens residing in their respective foreign countries.

It will further facilitate trade flow and expand relations between the countries.

Foreign minister and deputy prime minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, who led the Ethiopian delegation, conferred with the Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir on a number of bilateral and regional issues.

Hailemariam conveyed a message to Bashir from Ethiopian prime minister, Meles Zenawi.

During his meeting Hailemariam told Bashir that his country wants to scale up the existing relationship and cooperation, particularly in the field of security.

Bashir praised Ethiopia’s role in maintaining regional peace and security. He also hailed the country’s stand against the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Bashir is amongst members of the Sudanese government wanted by the ICC for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

(ST)