KEY POINTS
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Ethiopia and Sudan shut each other’s consulates near their shared border.
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Sudan accuses Ethiopia of supporting the RSF, while Ethiopia alleges Sudan backs Tigrayan rebels.
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Sudan says it wants to avoid an open war with Ethiopia.
Ethiopia and Sudan have closed each other’s consulates near their shared border, following accusations that both countries are supporting armed groups involved in conflicts within their territories.
The diplomatic measures, announced on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, mark a further deterioration in relations and have raised concerns that the conflicts in the two neighbouring countries could spill across their borders, increasing instability in the Horn of Africa.
Ethiopia orders Sudanese diplomats to leave
A senior Ethiopian official told Reuters that Ethiopia had shut down the Sudanese consulate in the border town of Assosa and ordered its six diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours. The official did not provide a reason for the decision.
Sudan subsequently responded by closing Ethiopia’s consulate in the eastern Sudanese city of Gedaref and expelling the diplomats stationed there, according to two Sudanese officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity.
The reciprocal closures reflect growing diplomatic friction between the two countries over allegations of interference in their internal conflicts.
Sudan accuses Ethiopia of supporting RSF
Sudan has accused Ethiopia of allowing the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to use its territory to launch suicide drone attacks against civilian infrastructure inside Sudan.
On Sunday, the Sudanese government said it had formally submitted a complaint against Ethiopia to the United Nations Security Council and the African Union’s Peace and Security Council.
Ethiopia has denied supporting the RSF, which has been fighting Sudan’s national army since April 2023.
The conflict has displaced more than 14 million people, according to United Nations figures, and triggered one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.
Ethiopia alleges Sudan backs Tigrayan rebels
Ethiopia, in turn, has accused Sudan, Egypt and Eritrea of supporting Tigrayan rebels who launched an offensive against government forces in September. The three countries have denied the allegations.
The competing accusations have heightened concerns that the conflicts in Sudan and Ethiopia could become interconnected, potentially drawing neighbouring countries into a wider confrontation across the Horn of Africa.
However, both governments have rejected claims of involvement in the armed groups accused of destabilising their neighbours.
Despite the worsening diplomatic relationship, Sudan has said it is not seeking a direct military confrontation with Ethiopia.
Amjad Farid, political and foreign affairs adviser to Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council, said the government remained committed to defending its territory but was making efforts to prevent an open war with its neighbour.
The latest diplomatic measures come amid broader regional security concerns, as the two countries continue to face separate internal conflicts and accusations of cross-border interference.
