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11 January 2007
Addis Ababa - Ethiopia and the Sudan have become vital development partners to one another especially in the socio-economic sectors, Sudanese Ambassador said. The Ambassador also said that Ethiopia’s action in Somalia is justified since the country has a legitimate right to defend itself.
In an exclusive interview with ENA yesterday, Ambassador Abuzeid El-Hassan Abuzeid said that Ethiopia and the Sudan have currently been able to forge stronger bilateral ties more than ever before.
Ambassador Abuzeid said the two countries have been constructing a number of road projects with a view to boosting trade and investment cooperation and connecting the peoples of the two sisterly countries.
The volume of trade between Ethiopia and the Sudan in general, and the peoples of the two countries living along their common border in particular, has been thriving from time to time, he said.
Ambassador Abuzeid said that the cross-border power project, which aims at supplying electricity from Ethiopia to the Sudan, has been well in progress. The project would enable Sudanese people living along the border areas get power supply, Ambassador Abuzeid added.
Ethiopia has currently been importing a significant volume of petroleum from the Sudan, Ambassador Abuzeid said, adding the two countries have been exerting utmost efforts toward establishing sustainable economic ties.
The Ambassador said the Optical Fiber Extension Project, which aims at enabling the people of Ethiopia and the Sudan get access to efficient telecommunication services, has already been completed.
Ethiopia, which shares 1,700-kms long common border with the Sudan, has also been contributing a lot towards the successful implementation of the Sudanese Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), he said.
Asked about Ethiopia’s military intervention in Somalia, the Ambassador said that Ethiopia’s action in Somalia is justifiable since the country has a legitimate right to self-defence.
The actions the Ethiopian government and the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia have jointly taken in deed created a chance for lasting peace to prevail in that country.
Speaking about the upcoming Ethiopian millennium, Ambassador Abuzeid said that Ethiopia is unique in its calendar and this uniqueness should be appreciated as a culture of the African continent.
The Sudanese community will be celebrating the Ethiopian millennium with their Ethiopian brothers and sisters, Ambassador Abuzeid said.
Meanwhile, the 2nd anniversary of the CPA signed between the government and the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) was marked here yesterday in the presence of major stakeholders including the government of the Sudan, Southern Sudan government, the Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia and member of the diplomatic corps.
Ambassador, Abuzeid said on the occasion that the government of the Sudan has made it clear that it is unwaveringly committed to work in close coordination and collaboration with its partner—the SPLM—to achieve lasting peace and prosperity in the Sudan.
The Ambassador indicated that though donors made financial pledges to both parties to help the smooth and timely implementation of the agreement, only a negligible assistance has been provided so far.
“Thus, the long—awaited peace dividend has not been fully picked or felt by the people. Therefore, I once again appeal to the donors to honour their pledges.”
Southern Sudan Government representative to Ethiopia Mr. Arop Deng Kuol on his part said that several activities were underway since the government of the Sudan and SPLM signed the CPA January 9, 2005.
With regard to the implementation of the CPA, the representative cited the formulation and adoption of a National Constitution by the National Assembly and that of the Interim Constitution of Southern Sudan.
Despite such progressive implementation of the CPA, it is to be noted that one of the major protocol known as Abyei Protocol has never been touched, the representative said.
He also indicated that the demarcation of the border between south-north as stipulated in the CPA remains a concern. Finally, the representative commended the Ethiopian people and government for their hospitability to Sudanese refugees.
Over 800 Sudanese, representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kenyan Ambassador to Ethiopia, were among those who attended the event held at the Imperial Hotel.
(ENA/EH)