Khartoum, Jan 27 (IANS): Sudan and Ethiopia have agreed to settle their border disputes as well as the issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) through joint mechanisms and direct dialogue.

Chairman of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and visiting Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed made the remarks during a meeting at the Republican Palace in Khartoum on Thursday, Xinhua news agency quoted an official statement as saying.

Al-Burhan stressed the need to enhance cooperation between Sudan and Ethiopia on bilateral, regional and international issues, the statement said.

Ahmed, for his part, said that "the GERD will not cause any harm to Sudan, but will rather benefit it in the field of electricity."

Regarding the border issue, Ahmed said that it is an old issue and called on the parties to return to the documents to resolve it.

"Ethiopia continues to stand in solidarity with Sudan in their current self-led political process," he added.

The Ethiopian Prime Minister arrived in Khartoum on Thursday morning on an official visit to Sudan.

In addition to their disputes over the Fashaga border area, Sudan and Ethiopia have technical and legal issues relating to the GERD.