OMM Newsroom
Sudan has ordered the closure of Ethiopia’s consulate in the eastern city of Gedaref and given its diplomatic staff 48 hours to leave the country, local media reported Wednesday, according to Anadolu Agency.
Sudanese news website Al-Zawiya Net reported that the decision followed the closure by Ethiopian authorities of Sudan’s consulate in Assosa, with six Sudanese diplomats ordered to leave within the same period. Broadcaster Tayba TV also reported the move, citing local media and a Sudanese government source.
The reports said Khartoum acted on the principle of reciprocity as diplomatic tensions between the neighbouring countries escalated.
Sudan and Ethiopia exchange accusations
Relations between Sudan and Ethiopia have deteriorated amid mutual accusations that each is supporting armed groups.
On Tuesday, the Sudanese army said its air defences had shot down what it described as a “hostile strategic drone” over Blue Nile state after it entered Sudanese airspace from neighbouring Ethiopia. The army did not identify the drone’s operator, and Ethiopian authorities had not commented immediately.
Sudan has previously accused Ethiopia of allowing the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to use Ethiopian territory to launch drone attacks on civilian infrastructure. Khartoum has also filed complaints over the allegations with the UN Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council.
Ethiopia, in turn, has accused Sudan of supporting rebels in its northern Tigray region.
Consulate opened in 2015
The two countries have also faced longstanding tensions over the disputed Al-Fashaga border region, where Sudanese and Ethiopian forces have clashed in the past.
Ethiopia’s consulate in Gedaref officially opened in June 2015 to strengthen bilateral relations, facilitate cross-border cooperation and address shared security concerns, including human trafficking.
The latest diplomatic dispute comes as Sudan remains engulfed in a conflict between the army and the RSF. The fighting began in April 2023 and has caused widespread displacement and a deepening humanitarian crisis.
