Countries Including UAE Offering Ethiopia to Mediate Border Dispute With Sudan: Spokesperson

Addis Abeba  March 31/20121 (ENA) Many countries, including the UAE have been offering Ethiopia to mediate the Ethio-Sudan border dispute, Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed.

The spokesperson of Foreign Affairs, Dina Mufti has presented the Ministry’s biweekly press briefing on Tuesday.

In his presentation, the Dina focused on political diplomacy, the Ethio-Sudan border dispute, situations regarding humanitarian support and alleged atrocities on rights violations in Tigray, economic diplomacy, capacity building and citizen-centered diplomatic activities.

Regarding the border dispute with Sudan, he said that many countries, including the UAE are offering Ethiopia to mediate the Ethio-Sudan border dispute.

Ethiopia has also expressed its appreciation for the initiatives, he added.

Peaceful dialogue is the only option on the table that could solve the border problem, Prime Minister Abiy told the House of Peoples' Representatives last week.

The Spokesperson mentioned the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen’s discussion with US Special Envoy to Sudan and South Sudan Ambassador Donald Booth during the week.

Demeke in his briefing on the GERD negotiation to the delegation stated that Ethiopia has legal and sovereign right to use the Nile water for development fairly and equitably.

He also said that Ethiopia has no interest in harming the lower Nile Basin countries in doing so.

According to the spokesperson, Ethiopia has always been committed to resolving issues through negotiations, in a way that addresses the concerns of Sudan and Egypt.

Demeke has also expressed to the US Envoy Ethiopia’s keenness to sustaining the African Union-led talks under the Chairmanship of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

However, talks to change the modalities of the negotiations should be treated according to the provisions of the Declaration of Principles (DOP), which was signed by the tripartite in 2015, he underlined.

Foreign Minister Demeke further stated that the filling of the dam is part of the overall construction project.

Ambassador Donald Booth on his part reiterated his country’s readiness to assist the tripartite whenever necessary.