Sudan Welcomes ‘Economic Integration’ with Ethiopia

Arab World

October 16th, 10:23am

Asharq Al-Awsat

Head of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council Lt. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. (EPA)

Head of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan held talks on Saturday with Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on the sidelines of the Tana High- Level Forum on Security in Africa, which kicked off on Oct 14 in Ethiopia’s Bahir Dar city. Discussions touched on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and other border issues between the two countries, which the top officials agreed to resolve through dialogue. Burhan welcomed Ahmed’s suggestion to establish economic integration between the two countries, asserting that the two peoples share a common destiny. He affirmed that the outstanding issues between the two countries could be resolved through dialogue, underlining Khartoum’s keenness to maintain close ties with its neighbor. Ahmed, for his part, said Addis Ababa’s relationship with Khartoum is special, stressing that the GERD project will yield great benefits to Sudan. He also proposed to set up a mechanism for bilateral economic integration. Both sides underscored the importance of addressing all border issues using peaceful means through specialized technical committees. African heads of state and governments participate in the Tana Forum, which is held annually to discuss the state of peace and security in the continent. Burhan said the event represents a new approach to addressing the continent's issues, hoping the recommendations of its 10th session would contribute to achieving security and stability in the region and enhancing the welfare of its peoples. The Forum was held in light of the grave repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the challenges related to security and peace, and threats facing food security in line with the natural disasters resulting from climate change and threatening stability in many African areas, Burhan explained. He added that Sudan is playing a pivotal role in the Horn of Africa, given its geostrategic location, based on the principle of cooperation in the integration approach among regional countries. He pointed out that Khartoum is working to strengthen the bonds of good neighborliness among African countries, in its capacity as the current head of the African Intergovernmental Organization for Development (IGAD).

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