KHARTOUM – Sudan said it ordered its envoy to Ethiopia home for consultations after a government spokeswoman in Addis Ababa rejected a Sudanese initiative to mediate a cease-fire in the Tigray war and accused it of occupying Ethiopian territory.
The move announced in a Foreign Ministry statement was the latest sign of deteriorating ties between the African neighbors.
The tensions began after Sudan deployed troops late last year to the fertile al-Fashaqa border area it says was occupied for over two decades by Ethiopian farmers and militias.
Billene Seyoum, spokesperson for Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, said Thursday that ties with Sudan have been “a little bit tricky” and accused Khartoum of occupying Ethiopian territory. She said Sudan was not a “credible party” to facilitate negotiations between Ahmed’s government and Tigray leaders.
The conflict erupted in Tigray in November after a falling out between Ahmed and the Tigray ruling party that had dominated Ethiopia´s government for nearly three decades. The growing war has threatened to destabilize the entire Horn of Africa.
Sudan’s Foreign Ministry said Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok’s initiative aims at encouraging Ethiopian parties to reach a comprehensive cease-fire and to engage in political dialogue to “preserve Ethiopia´s integrity and stability.”
“Sudan’s interest in resolving the Tigray region’s conflict is part of its commitment to regional peace and stability,” the statement said according to AP.
The Tigray war has killed thousands of people and pushed the area to the brink of famine. More than 60,000 people have also fled Tigray and taken refuge in Sudan.
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