February 18, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The Ethiopian government accused the Sudanese army of seeking to plunge Sudan into a war against Ethiopia in the interest of a third country.

In a new escalation with Sudan, the Ethiopian foreign ministry issued a statement on Thursday condemning what its described as a "provocative behaviour", on the joint border warning that it will cause damage to the two countries.

"The Ethiopian government strongly believes that the conflict being trumpeted by the Sudanese government’s military wing could only serve the interests of a third party at the expense of the Sudanese people," said the statement.

According to different diplomatic sources, Ethiopian officials accuse Egypt of pushing the Sudanese army to ignite war in the border area where the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is under construction, so they can destroy it.

The statement further said that Sudan undermined the Ethiopian efforts to "finalize the re-demarcation process" while the Sudanese army".

"The Ethiopian government would like to call upon the people of Sudan to check on its government from serving a third party interest which only would result in the determent of the two nations," repeated the statement.

During a meeting of the joint political committee on 22 December, the Sudanese side was surprised by the demand made by the Ethiopian delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen who asked to demarcate the border.

The Sudanese side rejected the demand and underscored that there are several agreements on the border demarcation and now what is needed is to place border markers.

Recently different envoys from the European Union and several Arab countries, the latest Saudi Arabia, were in Khartoum and Addis Ababa calling to de-escalate tensions and stop verbal attacks.

Also, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki despatched his special envoy EL-hacen Lebatt to Khartoum on Wednesday to discuss the growing tensions with Ethiopia.

(ST)