This archive report was first published on 5 June 2020.
On June 3, 2020, South Sudan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement denying reports of an agreement with Egypt to build a military base in Pagak, a town bordering Ethiopia.
The statement described the reports as 'unfounded and baseless,' stating that no agreement had been reached to allocate land for an Egyptian military base in South Sudan.
South Sudan's Ambassador to Ethiopia, James Morgan, echoed the denial, stating that Juba would not allow any external force to use its territory to attack Ethiopia.
'If any force intends to attack Ethiopia via South Sudan, it will first face the people of South Sudan,' Ambassador Morgan said.
The denial comes as tensions between Egypt and Ethiopia escalate over Ethiopia's plan to start filling its Nile dam next month, which Egypt fears could significantly diminish its waters of the Nile.
