Ethiopia–Sudan border
A long border from the Eritrean tripoint to South Sudan, never clearly marked since a treaty of 1902. Its most contested stretch is al-Fashaga, fertile farmland worked for decades by farmers from both sides; in late 2020 clashes there brought both armies to the frontier.
Written from cited sourcesLast checked 29 September 2026Suggest a correction
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Al-Fashaga
A treaty of 1902 between Ethiopia and British-ruled Sudan tried to fix the border, but ambiguities at certain points left it unresolved, and its demarcation has been a sticking point ever since. The sharpest dispute is over al-Fashaga, about 100 square miles of farmland along Ethiopia’s northwestern frontier, where for decades farmers from both countries harvested crops with little regard for border markers. In 2009 Ethiopia’s prime minister, Meles Zenawi, gave up control of strips of land on the border to Sudan, provoking an uproar in Ethiopia when it became public.[1]
The 2020 escalation
On 15 December 2020, an ambush reportedly carried out by Ethiopian militia backed by soldiers killed several Sudanese officers. Sudan moved troops in and said it had retaken the contested areas by New Year’s Day, while Ethiopia was fighting a war in Tigray. Ethiopia’s military chief said Sudan had taken advantage of that, and its foreign ministry demanded that Sudanese forces vacate what it called Ethiopian land before talks; Sudan denied occupying Ethiopian territory.[1]
“Such incidents will not break the bond b/n our two countries as we always use dialogue to resolve issues”[1]
Timeline
1902
Boundary treaty
Ethiopia and British-ruled Sudan sign a treaty on the border.[1]
2009
Concessions
Ethiopia gives up control of strips of border land.[1]
202015 December 2020
Ambush
Sudanese officers are killed in al-Fashaga.[1]
20211 January 2021
Sudan moves in
Sudan says it has retaken the contested areas.[1]
More borders
Sources
- [1]Rising tension as Ethiopia and Sudan deadlocked on border dispute · Al Jazeera (Zecharias Zelalem) · 1 February 2021
Map geometry from Natural Earth via world-atlas. See credits.