The key facts

  • Sudan closed Ethiopia's consulate in Gedaref, giving diplomats 48 hours to leave
  • The decision was presented as a response to the closure of the Sudanese consulate in Asosa and the expulsion of six diplomats
  • Amid the conflict, the sides mutually accuse each other of supporting armed groups

Khartum's reciprocal move

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 this on Wednesday: the Al-Zawiya Net website, as well as the Sudanese TV channel Tayba TV citing local media and a source in the Sudanese government. According to Al-Zawiya Net, the decision was a response to Addis Ababa's actions, which closed the Sudanese consulate in Asosa and demanded that six Sudanese diplomats leave the country within the same deadline. Khartum justified the move by the principle of reciprocity amid an escalating diplomatic crisis between the neighbors.

Context of the conflict

Relations between the two countries are deteriorating amid mutual accusations of supporting armed groups. Sudan has previously accused Ethiopia of allowing the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to use its territory to launch drones at civilian infrastructure, and has filed complaints with the UN Security Council and the African Union's Peace and Security Council. Ethiopia, in turn, accuses Sudan of supporting rebels in the northern region of Tigray. On Tuesday, the Sudanese army announced that its air defenses had shot down a 'hostile strategic drone' over Blue Nile state after it entered Sudanese airspace from Ethiopia; the army did not name the drone's operator, and no comment from Ethiopian authorities immediately followed. The two sides have also long been in conflict over the disputed border area of Al-Fashaga, where clashes between Sudanese and Ethiopian forces have previously occurred.

What is known about the consulate

Ethiopia's consulate in Gedaref was officially opened in June 2015 to strengthen bilateral relations, develop cross-border cooperation, and address shared security problems, including human trafficking. The current diplomatic dispute is unfolding against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in Sudan between the army and the RSF, which began in April 2023 and has led to massive displacement of the population and a deepening humanitarian crisis. Reports of the consulate's closure are based on publications by Sudanese media; official confirmation from the Ethiopian side is not provided in the reports.