Sudan and Chad restore relations

Sudan and Chad have previously fallen out over alleged support for rebels

African neighbours Sudan and Chad have resumed diplomatic relations and exchanged ambassadors to end a six-month diplomatic rift.

The two countries fell out over mutual accusations of support for rebels. The new ambassadors gave a joint media conference in Sudan's capital Khartoum.

They described the rapprochement as the first step in solving the crisis in Sudan's Darfur region, next to Chad.

The reconciliation process was led by Libya and the African Union.

In the Libyan capital of Tripoli last month, Chad and Sudan agreed not to help rebel groups.

'Brotherly neighbours'

Prior to the official resumption of relations, the two countries also agreed to end the campaigns against each other in their media.

Chad's ambassador to Khartoum, Baharadine Haroune Ibrahim, told journalists: "We came round to the idea of strengthening our relations in all sincerity and to live in harmony as two brotherly neighbours who share many things in common."

Sudan's ambassador to Chad, Abdullah al-Sheikh, said: "My priority is to maintain the relations between the two countries and the two brotherly people."

Sudan had accused Chad of supporting Darfur-based rebels who launched an attack on Khartoum in May that was the closest they had come to the seat of Sudan's government.

Chad denied any involvement and in turn accused Sudan of having backed a rebel push on Chad's capital, Ndjamena, in February that reached the gates of the presidential palace before being repulsed.

Relations between the neighbours have long been fractious - Ndjamena and Khartoum also severed diplomatic ties in 2006 for four months after a rebel attack on Chad.