ADDIS ABABA, July 25 (Xinhua) -- A Sudanese official on Thursday hailed the Ethiopian government's positive role towards bringing the disputing Sudanese parties to an agreement.
The statement was made by the Governor of Sudan's Blue Nile State, Major General Ahmed Abdurahim, during an ongoing consultative meeting that brought together senior officials from Ethiopia's western Benishangul-Gumuz regional state and the Blue Nile State of Sudan in the Benishangul-Gumuz region's capital Assosa.
Abdurahim, who noted the ongoing peace process in Sudan as essential, commended Ethiopia's effort towards resolving the political differences among Sudanese political parties.
Abdurahim, in particular, commended Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for his "efforts to resolve the challenges Sudan has been facing."
He stressed that "though separated by artificial boundaries, Ethiopia and Sudan are tied together in marriage and culture over the years," Ethiopia's state-run news agency quoted the Sudanese official as saying on Thursday.
He also expressed his hope that "the relation between the two nations will be further strengthened in the coming years."
The Sudanese regional governor made the positive comments as the Ethiopian government, in partnership with the African Union (AU), took the lead in bringing the disputing Sudanese parties to the negotiating tables so as to end the current political uncertainties in the African country.
Chief Administrator of Ethiopia's Benishangul Gumuz regional state, Ashadli Hassen, also stressed during the meeting that the relation between Ethiopia and Sudan has been "longstanding and the two countries' peoples are tied with blood and culture."
Hassen, who noted the meeting between the two countries officials as "critical to ensuring the benefit of the people of the two countries in general and the two regional states in particular," also stressed that such meetings would have vital importance towards strengthening the overall bilateral relations of the two neighboring countries.
Over 40 members of delegations from the two regional states are attending the ongoing consultative meeting while agreements are also expected to be signed on areas of security and development issues, it was noted.
