Gaafar Nimeiry (Sudan) State Visit To Ethiopia Hosted By Mengistu Haile Mariam | Nov. 1980

On his arrival in Addis Ababa, President Nimeiry was greeted by the Ethiopian Head of State, Lieutenant-Colonel Mengistu Haile Miriam, and Provisional Military Council Executive Committee members.

Thousands of people were at the airport to greet the Sudanese leader and the route of the city was lined with crowds. Lieutenant-Colonel Mengistu paid an official visit to Sudan earlier this year and the two states have already concluded agreements on trade, communications and refugees.

The war in Eritrea has resulted in more than 400,000 refugees entering sudan. Sudan is also the major source of supplies for the secessionist guerrillas. The Sudanese government has recently tightened border control and moved many Eritrean refugees from border areas to help improve its relations with Ethiopia. But the Eritrean separatist groups, which maintain official representation in Khartoum, have refused to confirm reports that they are no longer receiving aid from Sudan. The guerrillas claim the Ethiopian army suffered severe setbacks in its struggle against the Eritrean secessionists earlier this year, and, over recent months, have concentrated on crushing Somali insurrections in south-eastern Ethiopia."