UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hailed the lifting of sanctions on Eritrea as an example of "a wind blowing in the direction of peace," his spokesperson said on November 14, UN News reported.
"The lifting of sanctions on Eritrea will contribute to further advancing peace-building efforts in the region and to consolidating a conducive environment for greater economic integration and sustainable development," said the spokesperson.
The nine-year-old sanctions against Eritrea, which include travel bans, asset freezes and arms embargo, will be lifted by the UN Security Council after a unanimous vote on the same day. The Council imposed the sanctions in 2009 for Eritrea's alleged support for Al-Shabaab insurgents in Somalia.
The resolution to lift sanctions showed that UN monitors have "not found conclusive evidence that Eritrea supports Al-Shabaab." It also commended Eritrea for "efforts towards peace, stability and reconciliation in the region."
Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (L) and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki embrace at the peace declaration signing in Asmara, July 9, 2018. /VCG Photo
The removal of sanctions came amid a thaw in relations between Eritrea and its neighboring countries after years of conflict.
In July this year, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed signed a peace agreement and announced normalization of ties in Asmara, ending a 20-year conflict. Relations with Eritrea's other neighbors across the Horn of Africa, including Somalia and Djibouti, have also improved, which was signified by the signing of a tripartite agreement between Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia.
"The lifting of the sanction is a sign that a difficult period for Eritrea and the region has ended," said Amanuel Giorgio, the Eritrean Permanent Representative to the UN.
He vowed the country would redouble its efforts to work with neighboring countries to advance peace in the region.