March 11, 2021(Nyamilepedia) — Growing tensions between Ethiopia and Sudan over the Fashaga Triangle has become a point of concern drawing the attention of both the United States and the United Nations.
Both the US Ambassador and the UN Special envoy for Sudan have blown the whistle citing growing animosity over the recent months in the region.
Currently, Sudanese forces are dominant and they continue to take territory in the Fashaga triangle in the Al ’Alaw area. According to Shota Hiroya, a political analyst, the Fashaga triangle is simply a disputed fertile farmland between Sudan and Ethiopia.
He observed that until recently Sudan had not paid much attention to the region despite it being occupied by Ethiopians, the fact that it is historically in Sudan notwithstanding.
“The Fashaga triangle is disputed fertile farmland between Sudan and Ethiopia,” said the analyst. “Colonial treaties in 1902 and 1907 signified the land belonged to Sudan however Ethiopian citizens had already settled on the land and cultivated it and were paying taxes to the Ethiopian government.”
Mr. Hiroya explained that Ethiopia claims that Sudan invaded the disputed area when Ethiopian troops were busy fighting the armed forces of the TPLF.
He added that Ethiopia accuses Sudan of being opportunistic and described them as taking advantage of the situation.
The political analyst said that Sudan on the other hand claims the Ethiopian Prime Minister invited Sudanese troops to Fashaga days before the war.
The agreement between the two according to him was that Sudanese troops were allowed to return to the border as long as they prevented the Tigrayans from using the border as a refuge.
Hiroya was however quick to point out that it still is not clear which version of the two was true. The Grand Ethiopia Renaissance Dam is yet another issue that is adding fuel to the fire.
The controversial dam is projected to reduce the amount of water reaching Sudan and Egypt whereas it produces gigantic amounts of hydro-electric power to Ethiopia. This is not auguring so well with Sudan thus fanning the conflict.
