June 9, 2020, Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed has urged South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit to stay out of its dispute with Egypt over the construction of Ethiopia’s multi-billion dam.

This comes days after unnamed senior government officials in Juba said the world’s youngest nation had agreed to a request by the Egyptian government for a military near Pagak, a town in the east of the country that borders Ethiopia.

Speaking to Media news this afternoon, a senior foreign ministry official in Addis Ababa said the government of Ethiopia has written to the government of South Sudan through its embassy in Addis Ababa and warned of consequences should it allow Egypt to have base in the country.

“The government has written to President Salva Kiir of South Sudan through the embassy here in Addis [Ababa] and has made it very clear that South Sudan will face consequences should the news that is ongoing for a Egyptian military base are to be true,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

The government official said the Ethiopian premier has urged Kiir in the letter to stay out of the dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over the dam saying “this is what we have to tell our South Sudanese brothers that let them stay out of the game.”

South Sudan however had issued a statement denying the reports saying there was no intention to do so and the country will not allow foreign troops to use it as a launching pad for attacks against “our neighbors.”

Note these earlier reports

Sudan Tribune

June 5, 2020 (JUBA,) — South Sudan’s foreign ministry denied reports claiming that Juba had given green light for Egypt to establish a military base near the Ethiopian border.

“The ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation hereby denies in the strongest terms possible, the information which has been circulated in the social media that the government of South Sudan has agreed to Egyptian request to build a military base in Pagak,” reads a statement issued on Wednesday.

Relations between Egypt and Ethiopia are strained by the disagreement over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) particularly the filling of its reservoir.

“There is nothing of that kind, no agreement has been reached whatsoever to allocate a piece of land for Egyptian military base in the territory of the Republic of South Sudan,” said the South Sudanese government distancing itself from any suspicion.

Juba further said the “spurious allegation” was forged and disseminated by the enemies of peace who seek to create tensions for the South Sudanese government with the neighbouring countries.

Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan are expected to resume technical meetings to finalize talks on the safety of the dam, environmental issues, data exchange facilitation and the resolutions of disputes.

(ST)