Eritrean President to visit Addis Ababa Saturday
July 13, 2018 (ADDIS ABABA) – Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki will visit Addis Ababa on Saturday in a move aiming to boost the reconciliation process between the brotherly neighbours after a 20-year war on a contested border area.
“As announced in his keynote address in Sawa, President Isaias Afwerki will lead a delegation and pay an official visit to Ethiopia tomorrow, 14th July,” said the Eritrean Information Minster Yemane Meske in a Twit on Friday.
Yemane further said the visit will cement and add momentum to the joint march for peace and cooperation set in motion by President Afwerki and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
On Monday 9 July, at the end of a two-day visit to Asmara by the Ethiopian premier, the two leaders officially declared an end to a two-decades-old war. Also, they agreed to resume flights, open embassies and develop ports.
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In a speech delivered at the 8th National Youth Festival in Sawa town on Friday, President Afewerki said there is a need for a “strong effort will be exerted to make up the lost opportunities between the peoples of Eritrea and Ethiopia over the past 20 years”.
IGAD, the African Union and the international community welcomed the end of the war between Eritrea and Ethiopia and expressed hopes that it would positively impact the regional stability and promote regional cooperation.
Ethiopia did not yet announce when it would withdraw its troops from the border area of Badme to Eritrea. However, observers say that President Afewerki believes on the need to support Prime Minister Ahmed who is still facing some opposition to return the area to Eritrea.
(ST)