Relations b/n Ethiopia, South Sudan Will Not Be affected by Any Changes: South Sudanes Minister

September 20/2021 (ENA) Information, Communication Technology and Postal Services Minister of South Sudan Michael Makuei indicated that the relations between Ethiopia and his country will not be affected by any changes.

The Minister made the remark today during his discussion with the Ethiopian Ambassador to South Sudan, Nebil Mahdi.

During the occasion, the South Sudanese Minister noted that Ethiopia’s support to South Sudan has been consistent and the people of both countries have been enjoying good relations since time immemorial.

Appreciating Ethiopia’s genuine support in the South Sudanese peace agreement, as well as in capacity building and others, the Minister underscored that his country does not allow its territory, land or air, to be used against Ethiopia.

The Minister further affirmed that the relations between Ethiopia and South Sudan will not be affected by any changes. 

Regarding the negotiations over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD),  he said that while people are being affected by and dying from devastating floods, it is not fair and it is contradiction, amidst this, to complain that there would be water shortage during the filling of the Dam.

Emphasizing that the GERD guarantees the regular flow of water throughout the year to the lower riparian states, he said all of the riparian countries have the right to use the water.

With regard to peace and security in Ethiopia, he said that others don’t have the mandate to dictate the country what to do. It is the duty of Ethiopians to determine their affairs.

Ambassador Nebil Mahdi on his part expressed his appreciation of President Salva Kiir’s concern for the peace and stability of Ethiopia and his initiative to play a mediator role on the Ethio-Sudan border dispute as well as on internal issues.

With regard to Nile water, the ambassador stated that the River Nile is for all the 11 riparian states to use and with existing electric power shortage over the Eastern Africa region, he stressed on the necessity of interconnecting the countries in the region through power grids from the GERD.

Speaking about the conflict in Tigray Region, he briefed the Minister how the TPLF rejected Prime Minister Abiy’s consecutive pleas for a national consensus and be part of the reform, and later on how it attacked the Northern command of the Ethiopian National Defense Force.  

The ambassador has also explained to the Minister that due to the grave and heinous human rights violations the group committed, the Ethiopian parliament designated the TPLF as the terrorist group.

He further stated that the terror group is still engaged in massacring hundreds, and displacing hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians, looting properties and destroying public infrastructures in the Amhara and Afar regions of Ethiopia.

He also pointed out that the TPLF group is regionalizing its terrorist activities by creating links to other destructive forces in the East African region, according to Ministry of Foreign Affairs.