Addis Ababa-Horn Vision Forum "HAPC"Date: May 13, 2026
In an escalating diplomatic crisis, the Sudanese government received an official letter from its Ethiopian counterpart, confirming the latter’s decision to suspend prior approval and accreditation of the nomination of Ambassador Dr. Abdul Ghani Al-Naim as Sudan’s ambassador to Addis Ababa .
Diplomatic sources described the speech delivered by Abiy Ahmed’s government as having a harsh tone towards Khartoum in response to Sudan’s baseless accusations against Ethiopia .
Background to the crisis and the exchange of accusations :
This escalation comes amid heightened security and political tensions between the two countries, with both sides exchanging serious accusations in recent days :
Sudanese accusations : Khartoum accused Ethiopia of carrying out attacks targeting Khartoum airport using drones .
Ethiopian response : Addis Ababa rejected these accusations, describing them as ” baseless”, with the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry stating that Sudan has become ” a center for forces hostile to Ethiopia “.
The Tigray Front file : Ethiopia accused the Sudanese army of providing financial and military support to the Tigray People ’s Liberation Front and facilitating their incursions across the western border. This front waged a bloody conflict with the Ethiopian government between 2020 and 2022 , resulting in the deaths of approximately 600,000 people .
Fate of the diplomatic mission
Ambassador Abdul-Ghani Al-Naim, who had been nominated three months prior, was preparing to move from his previous post in Senegal to Addis Ababa to assume his duties from Ambassador Al-Zein Ibrahim ( currently serving as chargé d’affaires ). However, Khartoum had recently decided to withdraw him following its accusations against Addis Ababa .
In summary , Ethiopia’s suspension of the Sudanese ambassador’s accreditation reflects bilateral relations reaching a ” dead end , ” transforming the conflict from regional rivalry to direct accusations of supporting rebellion and military interference in the internal affairs of both countries .
