Ethio-Sudan Close Talks: Horn Amicable Tread

January 25, 2022

 Ethiopia is always fond of trekking on peaceful boulevard especially these days as it has understood that nothing is more rewarding and lucrative than reciting lyrical concord song to bring about real change.

Yes, peace in Ethiopia has been fully restored except some antagonist moves in the northern part. As opposed to the western media futile attempts to blackmail the country through disseminating fake news and orchestrated conspiracy, Ethiopians at home along with their diaspora compatriots have marked magnificent holidays in an absolutely peaceful and alluring manner.

Besides, a number of countries have also turned their face towards Ethiopia to renew bilateral and trilateral ties with it. The coming of Sudan’s second most powerful leader, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo— Sudan’s transitional Sovereignty Council Deputy Chairman—to Ethiopia can be taken as the clear manifestation of Ethiopia’s enhanced tasks on diplomacy. The person’s visit amid border tensions is of utmost importance in bolstering the relations between the two countries and in well maintaining Horn peace in particular and that of the continent in general.

If truth be told, Sudanese and Ethiopians are one people in two different countries as everybody fails to put clear distinction between the two people especially who reside in border areas.

What is worth noting here is Ethiopia has always tabled peace on discussion and countries which have considered it as foe have at last come to become ally with it after understanding its candor.

Obviously, relations between Ethiopia and Sudan have deteriorated due to a disputed area where sporadic deadly clashes on both sides happened. Besides, Sudan, along with Egypt, is also locked in a bitter dispute over Ethiopia’s mega-dam on the Blue Nile as the two downstream countries see Ethiopia’s Renaissance Dam as an existential threat, which is a baseless anxiety.

It has to be well comprehended that no one benefits out of turmoil and chaos except conflict entrepreneurs and those who have run towards gaining cheap popularity and fatten personal gain at the expense of others’ sufferings.

Ethiopia and Sudan should revive their warm and friendly diplomatic relations and the long standing frontier trade they have had has to be renewed up until the border tensions will receive lasting solutions. Though internal political and socio-economic problems in Ethiopia and the Sudan, together with some sorts of rivalries in the Horn brought about periods of increasing hostilities between the two countries, the situation has now taken the right track. Hence, the relations seem to be characterized by cooperation instead of animosity as the former is instrumental in helping the two countries grow together.

Not only does a potential border conflict between the two threaten to destabilize them but it does also have serious repercussions to spoil Horn and the entire region. Hence, commencing close talks would pave the way how the issue is handled and it reverses the severe consequences for political transitions in both countries and the issue of Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has to be taken as firm glue for the unity of the two countries instead of being a source of confrontation.

All in all, Sudan’s official visit has upshots for de-escalation of the border dispute between the two. The diplomatic attempts to defuse tensions have to be well flourished to get the sources of conflict dried for good. A strained status quo that has been established around the border, with sporadic skirmishes needs to be aborted through civilized and peaceful means if the two countries are in a position to make a difference in all aspects as neither of them can benefit out of tense circumstances.

The Ethiopian Herald January 25/2022