ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia’s engagem ent in regional peace and security issues further indicates that it has the will to lead and influence settlement among conflicted actors in the region to galvanize African solutions to African problems, Ambassador of Sudan to Ethiopia said.
In an exclusive interview with The Ethiopian Herald, Ambassador Anas Eltayeb Elgailani says Ethiopia is increasingly described as a regional mediator in the Horn of Africa in consideration of its diplomatic and demographic size.
“Ethiopia has also managed to drive regional agendas through the existing regional and continental organizations, namely the Intergovernmental Authority of Development and the African Union with consideration of values that aim to encourage and strengthen bonds of solidarity between all peoples of African descent based on the belief that unity is vital to economic, social, and political progress,” the Ambassador explained.
According to the Ambassador, the main actors in the current transition in Sudan are the Transitional Military Council and the Force of Freedom and Change. They together initiated a historic agreement “constitutional declaration” inked on August 4, 2019, which formalizes the broad lines of a political deal to establish the institutions of the transitional authority, he added.
Ambassador Anas also recalled that the Sudanese people who pioneered many nations in October 1964 with its first-ever “Arab Spring”, surprised the world once again on April 11, 2019, with their third great popular uprising for a peaceful transition to Freedom, Peace and Justice.
“The formation of a cohesive government, led by the Prime Minister Dr. Abdalla Hamadok, will be the first building block of solid governance in a country with enormous potential and resources, one of which is the wisdom of its people in achieving a role model peaceful revolution.”
“This hard-fought agreement came after a long period of negotiations mediated by the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the African Union. Ethiopian’s and African Union’s initiative was built on previous agreements between the Transitional Military Council and the Force of Freedom and Change. It tackled the disputed makeup of the sovereign council and other outstanding issues,” Ambassador Anas stated.
The Ambassador also highly Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki, and his team, Prof. Mohamed El Hacen Labatt, and Ambassador Mahmoud Dirir, the special envoy of Ethiopian Prime Minister.
“These fruitful efforts exerted by Ethiopia came as a result of a profound and solid relationship with the Republic of Sudan. These ties between the two sisterly countries have been flourished with bonds of blood and culture,” the Ambassador pronounced.
Regarding the future of the peace process in the Republic of Sudan, the Ambassador said, “Sudan is ushering in a new era marked with freedom, peace, justice and prosperity. However, this transition is sailing at a very troubled wave of water.”
As to him, it’s crystal clear that Sudan is at the crossroad. At these defining moments, the country needs constructive efforts of regional and international partners to respect the right of the Sudanese people to choose their destiny and fulfil their aspirations.
Since the Prime Minister Dr. Abdalla Hamadok took the oath of office late on Wednesday 21 August, Sudan is triggering in a new horizon to address its political and economic challenges with a clear vision and right policies, he indicated.
According to Ambassador Anas, the Republic of the Sudan appreciates the contribution of the international partners and calls to redouble the efforts to delisting Sudan from the United States’ list of the States Sponsoring Terrorism, lift the burden of debts, lift the suspension from the African Union Peace and Security Council to allow Sudan resume its regional activities, enable the country to benefit from the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPIC’s) and contribute to normalize its relations with the international financial institutions.
He finally urged all regional and international partners to guarantee coherent external support to the transition in Sudan to achieve peace, democracy and prosperity.
The Ethiopian Herald August 24/2019
BY ZELALEM GIRMA
