Ethiopia reaffirms continued support for Sudan, South Sudan peace
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
September 18, 2012 (ADDIS ABABA) – Ethiopia’s acting Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, has reaffirms his country would continue to exert necessary support to the ongoing efforts to resolve disputes between Sudan and South Sudan.
Desalegn made the remarks when he held talks with visiting South Sudan Vice President, Riek Machar, on Monday here in Addis Ababa where the sides discussed on bilateral ties and common concerns.
During the discussions, Desalegn said the support Ethiopia had been providing to bring peace between Sudan and South Sudan won’t be affected under the new leadership.
Instead said Desalegn, the role Ethiopia plays towards the peace efforts and all other existing relationships and cooperation Addis Ababa had with both Khartoum and Juba under the leadership of the late Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, would further be strengthened.
The South Sudanese vice president, Riek Machar who expressed deepest condolence over the untimely death of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, to his side called on Ethiopia’s new leadership to continue extending the similar support like the nation had been providing previously.
Ethiopia ruling party, Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) on Saturday elected the former foreign minister and deputy prime minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, as party’s new chairman, making him successor of the late Zenawi who died last month.
The newly elected Ethiopian leader will be sworn in parliament session early next month.
According to Ethiopia ministry of foreign affairs Riek Machar has expressed the hope that the appointment of Hailemariam as EPRDF Chairperson would help the nation to sustain the ongoing development achievements in Ethiopia.
It is to be recalled that deputy chairman of the Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party (NCP) and Sudan’s Presidential assistant, Nafie Ali Nafie earlier this month paid a visit to the Ethiopian capital where he held talks with Hailemariam Desalegen on ways of enhancing ties between the two neighboring nations and also on ways of further strengthening relations between the two ruling parties.
(ST)