Ethiopia, Sudan Re-affirmed their Commitments to Cooperate on Bilateral and Regional Issues

Addis Ababa June 01/2018 Ethiopia and Sudan re-affirmed their commitments to work in cooperation on issues of bilateral and regional concerns.

Foreign Minister Workneh Gebeyehu conferred with the newly appointed Sudanese Foreign Minister Al-Dirdiri Mohamed Ahmed here in Addis today.

Both ministers briefed journalists on the wide range of issues they have discussed during their meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Minister, Workneh  Gebeyehu told journalists that the Foreign Ministers of the two countries discussed on various bilateral issues related to the Nile, issues of regional concerns, people to people relations and other issues of bilateral significances.

Among other things, the ministers discussed on efforts underway to bring about lasting peace in South Sudan and Somalia and on how the agreements signed several times between the warring parties could be effectively be implemented.

Moreover, the ministers took up deliberations on how to further strengthen the ongoing political, economic and people to people relations between both countries.

Workneh appreciated for the principled position that Sudan has adopted regarding the issues around the construction of GERD.

He also expressed his gratitude for President Omar Hassan Al- Bashir for his rapid response to the request made by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on releasing prisoners who were detained in Sudan for various reasons.

“The swift response made by Sudan in releasing Ethiopian prisoners indicates the strong bilateral cultural, social and political relations between the peoples and governments of the two countries,” he added.

Sudan’s Foreign Minister, Al-Dirdiri Mohamed Ahmed said that he had discussed with Workneh on wide range of bilateral issue including the Nile and IGAD concerns.

Both ministers agreed to work together on issues of peace in the region and on ways and means of strengthening IGAD and the African Union.

He added that the two countries will continue to cooperate on the issues of Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

More than 1,400 Ethiopians detained in Sudan for various reasons were release during the recent official visit paid by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to Sudan.

ENA