Sudan summoned its ambassador to Ethiopia for consultations after statements issued by senior Ethiopian officials rejected Khartoum’s mediation in the conflict raging in the Tigray region on the grounds of “non-neutrality and the occupation of Ethiopian lands”.

Diplomatic sources said that the Sudanese Ambassador to Addis Ababa, Jamal Al-Sheikh, will meet with Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok to discuss these developments in Sudanese Ethiopian relations.

In a statement, the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out that “the suggestion that Sudan played a role in the conflict, and the claim of occupation, is a continuation of Ethiopia’s practice of overriding facts in its relationship with Sudan and promoting allegations that it has no basis for based only on the ambitions of circles in the Ethiopian government.”

Sudan’s interest in resolving the conflict is “part of its commitment to regional peace and stability, and an expression of its keenness to stabilise the situation in Ethiopia, and for solidarity in the challenges it faces,” the statement added.

It also noted that Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok’s initiative, within the framework of his presidency of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), aims to encourage Ethiopian parties to reach a ceasefire and to engage in a comprehensive political dialogue process to preserve Ethiopia’s unity and stability.

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry stressed that “the two countries’ communication remains the basis for overcoming the complications that arise, as it is the basis for upgrading relations between them,” noting that Sudan’s efforts “did not stop by virtue of its responsibility, and it will continue to push for a solution to the conflict in Ethiopia.”

“Being responsible and embracing the great human suffering in the region will [encourage] Sudan and everyone capable of positive action to provide whatever assistance they can, especially with Sudan being a neighbour affected by the conflict, given the influx of refugees from Ethiopia to Sudan,” the statement concluded.