President Salva Kiir and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed lead discussions with their delegation in Addis Ababa on August 26, 2021. Credit| Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

South Sudan and Ethiopia have resolved to strengthen bilateral relations and economic cooperation.

The two countries also pledged to enhance economic ties through infrastructure development.

This was reaffirmed in a one-day visit by President Salva Kiir to Addis Ababa on Thursday.

The President met with the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

The two leaders also discussed regional security issues, including the border tensions between Sudan and Ethiopia.

“They talked about the conflict in the region as a whole [and] on the case of a land dispute between Ethiopia and Sudan,” said Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin, Minister of Presidential Affairs.

President urged Ethiopia and Sudan to find a peaceful and legal solution to the al-Fashaga border dispute.

In mid-December 2021, Sudanese troops moved into al-Fashaga, an agricultural area on the frontier with Ethiopia, expelling Ethiopian farmers and building fortifications.

Friends of the two countries have urged them to convene talks about restoring the shared land-use agreement that prevailed beforehand without linking this issue to other contentious matters.

“President Kiir would wish that this process is resolved to the satisfaction of all sides – a win-win situation without shedding of blood,” Dr. Marial stated.

President Kiir returned to Juba on the same day.