Sudanese, U.S. officials discuss ways to develop bilateral military cooperation
January 26, 2021 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese leaders on Tuesday discussed with a visiting U.S. delegation headed by the Deputy Commander of the African Military Command (AFRICOM) military cooperation between the two countries.
Ambassador Andrew Young arrived in Khartoum, on Monday, on an official visit accompanied by U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Heidi Berg, U.S. Africa Command director of intelligence and other military officials. He met with the head of Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok and Sudanese army commanders.
In a meeting held on Tuesday, al-Burhan and Young discussed the means of building and developing strategic military cooperation between the two countries.
He further briefed the American delegation about the situation on the eastern borders of Sudan and stressing that the Sudanese army was redeployed on the border with Ethiopia.
Following the eruption of armed clashes in the Tigray region between the Ethiopian federal army and the TPLF fighters, Sudan deployed its troops on the border areas and expelled Ethiopian farmers et their militiamen.
However, Ethiopia says the Sudanese army occupied disputed border areas and calls for talks. For its part, Sudan rejects the claims and stressing it acted within its international border pointing to agreements signed in 1902 and 1972.
Following his meeting with the Sudanese premier minister, the visiting US official, was keen to underscore that their cooperation is limited to the Sudan Armed Forces, hinting that and militia forces are not Included in the relationship.
“We are working together in cooperation with the Sudanese Civilian Transitional Government to strengthen the partnership between the Sudanese professional army and the U.S. Army Command in Africa (AFRICOM),” Young said in remarks to the media after his meeting with Abdallah Hamdok.
He added that his visit to Khartoum, as the first high-ranking official in the U.S. Military Command for Africa, is “a step that will assess and promote our common interests in good governance, promote human rights and accountability, defeat terrorist threats and promote common prosperity.”
“We are working together in cooperation with the Sudanese Civilian Transitional Government to strengthen the partnership between the Sudanese professional army and the US Army Command in Africa (AFRICOM),” Young said in a press statement after his meeting with Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok.
He pointed out that his visit to Khartoum, as the first high-ranking official in the US Military Command for Africa, is “a step that will assess and promote our common interests in good governance, promote human rights and accountability, defeat terrorist threats and promote common prosperity.”
“We are discussing and developing together with the means and ways to build a better future.”
The U.S. military official affirmed his country’s support for the transitional government and work to strengthen it and cooperate with it, pointing to Washington’s endeavour to “establish a relationship based on dialogue, mutual trust and common commitment to achieve more security and stability.”
(ST)