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| Ethiopia’s prime minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean president Isaias Afwerk embrace at the declaration signing in Asmara, Eritrea July 9, 2018 (Ghideon Musa Aron Visafric/via Reuters) |
Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki will visit Ethiopia on Saturday, Eritreaโs information minister, Yemane Meskel, said on Friday, days after the two neighbours declared their โstate of warโ over.
The visit comes after an unexpected peace initiative from Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who visited Eritrea and signed a pact with Isaias on resuming ties .
โPresident Isaias Afwerki will lead a delegation and pay official visit to Ethiopia tomorrow, 14th July,โ Yemane tweeted early on Friday.
โThe visit will cement further/add momentum to the joint march for peace and cooperation set in motion by both leaders.โ
Under this weekโs historic agreement, the Horn of Africa neighbours 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.
โE President Isaias Afeworki will arrive in #Ethiopia tomorrow for a 3 days state visit upon invitation of HE PM Dr Abiy,โ Abiyโs chief of staff, Fitsum Arega, tweeted. โThe visit will strengthen the friendship & ties b/n #Ethiopia & #Eritrea. We thank HE President Isaias for honoring us with a visit & we welcome him warmly!โ
Normalising relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea is expected transform the Horn of Africa region, ending decades of animosity during which both countries remained isolated and dominated by their security forces.
