Sudan Dismisses Rumors About Hemetti’s Visit to Ethiopia

Hemetti and Abiy taking part in an Ethiopian wedding in Addis Ababa on 18 June 2020 (St photo)

June 21, 2020 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese foreign ministry denied reports alleging that the Mohamed Hamdan Daglo who is also known as Hemetti was in Ethiopia without coordination with the government.

Some media outlets published statements attributed to the foreign ministry saying that the deputy chairman of the Sovereign Council was in Ethiopia upon a request by the UAE without further details.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to categorically deny the accuracy of the aforementioned news, which is completely untrue".

The purpose of Hemetti’s visit to Addis Ababa was not clear. As he stated that he would discuss the border clashes between the two countries with the Ethiopian government and peace process with the African Union.

Sudan’s foreign relations are conducted by the government. The Sovereign Council and its military component particularly had been advised not to interfere in this respect after a meeting between al-Burhan and the Israeli Prime Minister in Uganda last February.

However, according to the constitutional document governing the transitional period, the military are tasked with the security issues, also they are negotiating peace with the armed groups.

From another side, Sudan and Ethiopia agreed to settle the border clashes through a joint military committee. Also, he was not accompanied by diplomats from the foreign ministry giving the impression that the visit was organised without their knowledge.

However, the foreign ministry urged the media to avoid promoting news and rumours harmful to the country’s interests and to its relations with sister countries.

(ST)