Sudan and Qatar to launch a new initiative to bring Eritrea and Ethiopia together

Radio Erena: 01 June 2015

Sudan and Qatar are report to have plans to launch a new initiative to bring Eritrea and Ethiopia back to the negotiation table.

According to some diplomatic sources contacted by Radio Erena, last week a Qatari delegation led by the Kingdom’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs – Mohammed Bin Abdela Alrumahi made an official visit to Ethiopia and separately held talks with the country’s Prime Minister – Hailemariam Desalegn and Minister of Foreign Affairs – Ambassador Berhane Ghebrekirstos.

The Qatari delegation has also held talks with the Director of Peace and Security of the African Union – Qasim Juan and the Commissioner for Social Affairs – Mustafa Sidiki.

Similarly, a different Qatari delegation has been reported to have made visits to Eritrea and Sudan.

Previously, President Albashir of Sudan had travelled to the Kingdom of Qatar after his visit to Saudi Arabia and met with the Qatari Amir and various other officials of the Kingdom. The main focus of the talks was reported to be Peace and Security in the Horn of Africa and mainly, the hostilities between Eritrean and Ethiopia, which has been the bottleneck for peace in the region.

It is to be noted that a previous initiative by Qatar, Sudan and other countries to bring Eritrea and Ethiopia back together had failed.

It is believed that plans are underway to bring the delegates of Eritrea and Ethiopia to the negotiating table on Tuesday the 2nd of June, as they come to attend the Sudanese President’s – Omar Albashir, swearing-in ceremony.

Beside the Eritrean and Ethiopian representatives, representatives of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Chad, South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya and other countries are expected to attend the June 2nd swearing-in ceremony, confirmed the statement from the Sudanese government.

One of the African presidents, who stayed in power the longest – the 91-year-old Zimbabwean President and AU’s Current Chairman – Robert Mugabe is also expected to attend the ceremony.
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