Ethiopia-Sudan controversial border

Ethiopia-Sudan controversial border (Amharic: አወዛጋቢው የኢትዮ ሱዳን ድንበር) is a disputed border between the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Government of Sudan since the 19th century.[1] Ethiopia and Sudan share a very long boundary of 1600 km in length. When Sudan was under the colonial rule of the British Empire, there was no clear border demarcation between Ethiopia and Sudan. But in the 1902 Anglo-Ethiopian Treaty,[1] while Sudan was still under British rule, the British Empire demarcated a border by the help of Charles Gwynn, British royal engineer, without the presence of the Ethiopian Empire.[2][3][4] Though it was not acceptable by the Ethiopian empire, the Ethio-Sudan colonial border is not clear since it mainly relies on natural landmarks such as mountains, trees, and rivers.[2]

Ethiopia-Sudan controversial border
Ethiopia-Sudan border relations

Ethiopia
Sudan
Ethiopia-Sudan border since 1902
Characteristics
Length1,600 kilometres (990 mi)
History
Established1902 (British empire)
Disestablished1972 (Ethiopia-Sudan talk)
Failed to settle the question of the Baro salient
TreatiesAnglo-Ethiopian Treaty of 1902
Notes1972 Ethiopia-Sudan Talk

In 1956, when Ethiopia was under the reign-ship of Haile Selassie, Sudan achieved independence from British colonial rule. But peace was not achieved, since the Government of Sudan supports the armed groups, Eritrean Liberation Front and Eritrean People's Liberation Front, along the Ethiopia-Sudan border that fought against Haile Selassie’s government.[4] Following this, the Imperial government of Ethiopia felt obligated to support the rebel movement in South Sudan known as Anya Nya. This put Sudan into the first civil war which took place between 1955 to 1972.[1][4]

On 17 February 1972, Ethiopia made a peace conference in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, between South Sudan rebels and Sudan. This let the First Sudanese Civil War end, and reestablished good Ethiopia–Sudan relations.[4]

In 1972, Sudan and Ethiopia exchanged notes concerning their boundary problems. However, “An exchange of notes between Ethiopia and Sudan failed to settle the question of the Baro salient or make arrangements to stop banditry and establish peaceful coexistence among the pastoral people.” The 1972 Ethiopia-Sudan talk,“ fell short of a viable long-term solution inasmuch as it did not redefine where the boundary should run over the Baro salient".[5]

On 15 December 2020, this controversial border dispute put Ethiopia and Sudan to the border clash after 49 years ago.[6] Now it is become an ongoing border clash between Ethiopia and Sudan.[7]

References
  1. Ullendorff, Edward. “The Anglo-Ethiopian Treaty of 1902.” Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, vol. 30, no. 3, 1967, pp. 641–654. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/612393. Accessed 15 Jan. 2021.
  2. Eyilet, Temesgen (February 2020). "Impacts of Border in Borderland Conflict along the Ethio-Sudan Border: Evidence from Metema Woreda, North-Western Ethiopia". ResearchGate – via ResearchGate.
  3. Ram, K. V. (1981). "ANTECEDENTS TO THE SUDAN-ETHIOPIA BORDER NEGOTIATIONS AND THE AGREEMENT OF MAY 1902". Transafrican Journal of History. 10 (1/2): 45–60. ISSN 0251-0391.
  4. Teshome, W . (2009). COLONIAL BOUNDARIES OF AFRICA: THE CASE OF ETHIOPIA’S BOUNDARY WITH SUDAN . Ege Academic Review , 9 (1) , 337-367 . Retrieved fromhttps://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/eab/issue/39855/472609
  5. Mburu, Nene (22 March 2003): “Delimitation of the Elastic Ilemi Triangle: Pastoral conflicts and official Indifference in the Horn of Africa.” African Studies Quarterly, vol.7
  6. "Sudan: Ethiopian forces killed troops in cross-border attack". ABC News. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  7. Reuters Staff (26 December 2020). "Sudan taking control of land on border with Ethiopia - minister". Reuters. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
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