GO WORLD — Ethiopia and Sudan have expelled each other’s diplomatic personnel and closed consulates near their shared border, marking a sharp deterioration in relations between the two Horn of Africa neighbours amid accusations of supporting rival armed groups.
The diplomatic confrontation intensified this week after Ethiopian authorities ordered six Sudanese consular officials to leave the western city of Assosa within 48 hours. Sudan responded by ordering Ethiopian diplomatic personnel to leave its consulate in Gedaref, an eastern Sudanese city close to the Ethiopian border.
The reciprocal expulsions follow growing tensions over Sudan’s allegations that Ethiopia has permitted the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been fighting Sudan’s national army since April 2023, to launch drone attacks from Ethiopian territory.
Addis Ababa has rejected the accusations and has separately alleged that Sudan is supporting armed groups operating in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region. Khartoum denies those claims.
Sudan’s ruling Transitional Sovereignty Council said it had documented 70 attacks allegedly originating from Ethiopian territory during 2026, involving 187 explosive drones. Sudanese authorities claim the attacks caused hundreds of civilian casualties and damaged critical infrastructure.
The allegations have not been independently verified.
Khartoum has submitted complaints to the United Nations Security Council and the African Union’s Peace and Security Council, accusing Ethiopia of allowing its territory to be used for military operations against Sudan.
The diplomatic dispute comes as Sudan continues to face a devastating civil war between its armed forces and the RSF. The conflict has displaced more than 14 million people and severely damaged the country’s infrastructure and public services.
Recent drone strikes targeting electricity facilities have disrupted power supplies in parts of Sudan, affecting access to water and other essential services.
Relations between Ethiopia and several neighbouring countries have also deteriorated in recent months. Addis Ababa has accused Sudan, Eritrea and Egypt of supporting armed opponents within Ethiopia, allegations rejected by the countries concerned.
The latest confrontation raises concerns about the possibility of Sudan’s civil war becoming increasingly entangled with security disputes elsewhere in the Horn of Africa.
Despite the escalating diplomatic measures, Sudanese officials have indicated that Khartoum wants to avoid a direct military confrontation with Ethiopia.
The crisis presents another challenge for regional diplomacy, particularly for the African Union, as neighbouring governments confront overlapping political, military and humanitarian pressures.
GO WORLD | Africa Desk
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