Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed headed to South Sudan today.
The Prime Minister held talks with President Salvakir Mayardit and his deputy Riek Machar in Juba.
The question of many is why the Prime Minister went to South Sudan at this time?
Ambassador of South Sudan in Ethiopia James Morgan told Ethio Negari that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s visit is to continue the relationship between the two countries.
The ambassador said that the two countries are working together in trade, military cooperation and other issues.
Ambassador Morgan, said that Ethiopia is one of the countries that support the peace of South Sudan, added that the Prime Minister’s current visit is to provide additional support to it.
The President of South Sudan, Salva Kirr, sacked his Ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs from office last week.
Following this, there is a fear that South Sudan may lead to another new civil war.
Prime Minister Abiy met with President Salva Kiir and his deputy Riek Machar at the Juba Palace, the two highest officials of the country.
Following the civil war in South Sudan, more than one million South Sudanese took refuge in Ethiopia.
There is concern that the South Sudanese president and his vice president may not agree that more citizens may migrate to Ethiopia.
Ethiopia currently has millions of its citizens affected by drought and conflict and has no capacity to accommodate more refugees.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s trip to South Sudan is expected to avoid this.
After Ethiopia started the construction of the Great Renaissance Dam 10 years ago, Egypt is strengthening its relations with Ethiopia’s neighboring countries.
South Sudan is a country that Egypt is paying attention to, and it is seeing a concern that it may want to get closer to Ethiopia and support the militants to attack Addis Ababathrough South Sudan.
On the other hand, Ethiopia’s defense army has announced that it is building a military base near the border of South Sudan.
Ethiopia and South Sudan signed a military cooperation agreement two years ago.
However, South Sudan’s Murle tribe militants have entered Ethiopia, killing innocent people, kidnapping and taking control of mining areas.
