Nelein University Holds Symposium on Diplomacy of Border between Sudan and Ethiopia

Khartoum,  (SUNA) – The Faculty of Law at Nelein University has organized the first scientific forum on the Border Diplomacy between Sudan and Ethiopia (theory, practices and application), in the presence of the university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Mohamed Al-Amin Ahmed.

At the symposium, the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Dr. Abu-Obaida Al-Tayeb, said that the border issues are among the oldest problems facing Sudan, pointing out that the border dispute in the eastern borders of Sudan is an old and renewed dispute, pointing out that an agreement was concluded in 1902 between Sudan and Ethiopia, but in 1957 Sudan faced a conflict with Ethiopia when a number of Ethiopian farmers entered in large lands inside Sudan territories.

The lecturer of International Law and expert in border demarcation, Prof. Al-Bukhari Abdalla Al-Jaali, stated in his paper that the border issue is a pure political and legal one, indicating that The Sudan cause is clear from the legal point of view.

He said that the armed forces is carrying out its duty in extending the Sudanese sovereignty over the country’s lands, adding that the Sudanese people should unite their rank.

He said that all border issues in Africa passed through two stages, which are the border diplomacy during the colonial period and border diplomacy after independence.

Prof. Al-Jaali said that the issue of borders between Sudan and Ethiopia clearly began in Sudan after the British authorities decided to initiate a project to reopen the borders in 1897, during which negotiations continued between the British mission and Ethiopia for 5 years after which the 1902 agreement was concluded, describing this agreement as the most important and shortest agreement in the history of Sudan because it included five articles only and succeeded in the settlement of the eastern borders issue with Ethiopia, and also succeeded determining the borders of Sudan with both Ethiopia and Eritrea, stressing that the 1902 agreement the lands defined Fashaga lands as Sudanese lands and that the year 1903 witnessed the putting of marks on the ground.

He affirmed Sudan respect to the international treaties and the 1902 agreement, adding that the issue of dams is one of the mistakes of the government of the former regime, and that the issue of borders is one of the most neglected issues during the era of 1990s for unknown reasons.

At the end of the symposium, the participants decided formation of a border commission to include experts and specialists, and also the formation of a national committee to include the Sudanese universities to deal with border problems under the leadership of Nelein University.

The symposium recommended conducting a study on the conditions of the Sudanese citizens at the border area as well as the development of border areas and the people there.

The symposium stressed that Sudan should make good management of the crisis in the military, political and legal tracks and change the development strategy in the border zones.