Foreign Interference Spoiling Relations between Sudan, Ethiopia: Sudanese Political Analysts

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Addis Ababa, September 22/2021(ENA) The meddling of foreign powers in the internal affairs of Sudan has been playing destructive role in the relationship between Ethiopia and Sudan, Sudanese political analysts said.

The long standing fraternal and exemplary ties between Ethiopia and Sudan deteriorated particularly after the new government was established in Sudan.

The current government in Sudan has been obstructing the ongoing negotiation on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) by coming up with ridiculous and unsubstantiated claims about the safety of the dam. 

Moreover, it forcefully occupied Ethiopian territory that had been under discussion via a commission established by the two countries to address the dispute between the two countries. 

Because of these developments, the relationship between the two countries is not good.

According to Sudanese political analysts approached by the Ethiopian News Agency, the decline in the relationship between the countries could be attributed to foreign interference.

The political analyst Hali Yahya said there are a number of foreign powers involved in the internal affairs of Sudan in an attempt to implement a specific agenda, including controlling the Horn of Africa.

He noted that Ethiopia has been calling for negotiations from which everyone could emerge a winner in terms of benefiting from the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Though many scholars and political figures are witnessing the positive development impacts of the dam to the people of Sudan, the Government of Sudan has been engaged in destructive activities in this regard, Hali elaborated.

Speaking about the border dispute, he explained that the border issue could be resolved amicably.

However, some foreign powers want to resolve the problem by force and this would not benefit the people of the two countries who have great common ties, the political analyst underscored.

“Had it not been for foreign interventions, stability would have prevailed in Sudan because the Sudanese elites are more capable of understanding the challenges and finding appropriate solutions,” Hali noted.

A journalist and researcher in African affairs, Abbas Mohammed Salah on his part said African countries in general are exposed to external pressure and interferences for a number of factors and reasons.

In the case of Ethiopia and Sudan, the outstanding issues need to be resolved through dialogue and negotiation as well as consensus and wisdom of the political administration.

There are more things that unite the two countries than those which drag them into differences, Abbas said, adding that “it is necessary to build on the commonalities, especially the common interests with a view to benefiting the people of the two countries.”

Ethiopian News Agency
2023