Eritrean president to make historic visit to Ethiopia after peace deal

World
Europe

Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki will make a historic visit to neighboring Ethiopia on Saturday, days after the two countries signed a declaration ending their long-standing "state of war."

Eritrea's Information Minister Yemane Meskel announced the visit on Twitter on Friday. The country will also reopen its embassy in Addis Ababa, closed since 1998, on Monday, Ethiopian government spokesman Ahmed Shide told reporters.

The rapid changes come after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched a peace initiative last month. He visited Eritrea's capital last weekend and signed a pact with Isaias on resuming ties, a move that ended a near 20-year military standoff after a border war.

In a tweet, Yemane quoted Isaias as saying the people of the two nations had "renewed their historic alliance and are marching forward in lock-step for mutual prosperity and stability."

Ethiopia's and Eritrea's flags are displayed on the street ahead of Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki's visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, July 13, 2018. /VCG Photo

State-affiliated Fana Broadcasting reported that the Eritrean delegation was expected to visit the Hawassa industrial park in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Region state.

The Horn of Africa neighbors have agreed to open embassies, develop ports and resume flights, in concrete signs of rapprochement after two decades of hostility since war erupted over their disputed border in 1998.

Abiy's chief of staff tweeted that the visit will last three days.

The reconciliation could transform politics and security in the volatile Horn region, which hundreds of thousands of young people have fled in search of safety and opportunities in Europe.

Under the new reformist prime minister, Ethiopia is opening up to the outside world after decades of security-obsessed relative isolation.

Since he took office in April, Abiy has announced plans to partially open up the economy, including attracting foreign capital into the state-run telecoms company and national airline.

The country, with a population of 100 million people, has seen rapid economic growth over the past decade.

(Top picture: Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki and Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed walk together at Asmara International Airport, Eritrea, July 9, 2018. /VCG Photo)

8326km

Source(s): Reuters