On Saturday, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki met with Sudanese President Al-Burhan on the sidelines of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing. Both sides acknowledged the close friendship between Eritrea and Sudan, with President Al-Burhan praising Eritrea for its support to Sudan.
Since the outbreak of the civil war in Sudan, Eritrea has stood by Sudan. Eritrea is hosting thousands of Sudanese refugees who fled the war in Sudan. Eritrea has allowed Sudanese refugees to travel to third countries like the Gulf states and other nations to seek asylum through Asmara airport. With Sudan’s airspace blocked due to the war, Sudanese migrants and foreign diplomats truly benefited from Eritrea’s open border policy, enabling them to leave Sudan, even by plane from Eritrea’s Asmara airport.
Eritrea also supported the Sudanese army and facilitated a truce between Eastern Sudan, Darfur, and the Sudanese army to collectively combat the Rapid Support Forces, who instigated the civil war in Sudan.
Despite the complicated history between the two countries during Umar Al Bashir’s reign, Eritrean-Sudanese relations are now very close.
On Wednesday, September 4th, 2024, President Afwerki met with South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir to discuss bilateral relations between Eritrea and South Sudan.
And on Tuesday, September 3rd, 2024, President Afwerki held a meeting with Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohammed.