Ethiopia has ordered six Sudanese diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours and announced the closure of Sudan’s consulate in the border city of Asosa, marking a further deterioration in relations between the two neighbouring countries.
According to Reuters, citing a senior Ethiopian official, six employees of the Sudanese consulate in Asosa were given 48 hours to leave Ethiopia. The Associated Press also reported that Ethiopian authorities summoned the Sudanese ambassador on Sunday and informed him of the decision to close the consulate. Neither official provided a specific reason for the expulsions.
The diplomatic measures come amid growing tensions between Addis Ababa and Khartoum, with both governments exchanging accusations over alleged interference in each other’s internal affairs and support for armed groups.
Sudan accuses Ethiopia of supporting the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been fighting the Sudanese army since April 2023. Ethiopia, in turn, accuses Sudan of supporting rebel groups in the northern Tigray region. Khartoum has denied these allegations.
Sudan has also submitted complaints to the United Nations Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council, accusing Ethiopia of allowing the RSF to use its territory to launch drone attacks against civilian infrastructure inside Sudan.
The accusations followed attacks on electricity facilities in the northern Sudanese cities of Al-Dabba and Abu Hamad, which resulted in power outages.
Ethiopia’s decision to expel the six Sudanese diplomats and close Sudan’s consulate in Asosa represents a significant diplomatic development between the two countries. With disagreements over regional security and alleged support for armed groups continuing, relations between Addis Ababa and Khartoum remain strained.
