Sudan welcomes rapprochement between Ethiopia, Eritrea

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Sudan's foreign ministry said that positive developments in the Ethiopian-Eritrean ties were reached during the visit of Eritrean foreign minister to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

Sudan on Tuesday welcomed the rapprochement and communication between Ethiopia and Eritrea, hoping the move would mark a new phase in the two countries' bilateral ties.

The ministry stressed Sudan's determination for continued efforts to enhance cooperation among all member states of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development in Africa (IGAD) to achieve peace and stability in the region.

An Eritrean delegation arrived in the Ethiopian capital on Tuesday, at the start of the first high-level visit in nearly two decades that has raised hopes of ending one of Africa's most intractable military stand-offs.

Eritrea's Foreign Minister Osman Saleh Mohammed (R) walks with Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (C) as Eritrea's delegation arrives in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, June 26, 2018. /VCG Photo

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed greeted Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh and presidential adviser Yemane Gebreab at Addis Ababa's airport

Tuesday's visit comes after Abiy said this month he would abide by a 2002 ruling, issued by a UN-backed commission, and withdraw from contested territory, including the town of Badme, that both nations claim.

Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki welcomed Ethiopia's "positive messages" and decided to send the delegation, "to gauge current developments directly and in depth as well as to chart out a plan for continuous future action."

Abiy's chief of staff tweeted that the prime minister "hopes the visit will lay the foundation for a much brighter future for #Ethiopia #Eritrea."

Screenshot of the tweet of Fitsum Arega @fitsumarega, chief of staff at Prime Minister Office of Ethiopia

Ethiopia-Eritrea border dispute

Eritrea won independence from Ethiopia in 1993 following a three-decade liberation war but conflict erupted between them once again in 1998 over their disputed border, with diplomatic relations broken off ever since.

The border war killed some 80,000 people and the sides remain at odds over the status of the frontier town of Badme. The border remains militarized.

The last time Ethiopian and Eritrean troops fought head-on was just two years ago with each side claiming victory in response to what they said was the other's aggression.

AFP Graphic

Abiy was at a rally hit by a grenade that killed two people on Saturday an attack that government-affiliated media blamed on opponents of reforms announced since he took office in April, including airline and telecoms privatizations and the rapprochement with Eritrea.

No Eritrean representatives have been part of an official visit for talks with the Ethiopian government since at least 1998.

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Source(s): AFP ,Reuters ,Xinhua News Agency