Hugs mark meeting of Ethiopia, Eritrea leaders
addis ababa (ethiopia) — With laughter and hugs, the leaders of longtime adversaries Ethiopia and Eritrea met for the first time in nearly two decades on Sunday amid a rapid and dramatic diplomatic thaw aimed at ending one of Africa’s longest-running conflicts.
Ethiopia’s reformist new Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed arrived in Eritrea’s capital and a live broadcast by Eritrean state television showed President Isaias Afwerki greeting him at the airport in scenes unthinkable just months ago.
“A brotherly embrace,” Eritrea’s information minister said on Twitter, sharing photos .
Crowds danced and sang for the leaders, and Asmara’s streets were hung with Ethiopian and Eritrean flags. Abiy and Afwerki travelled across the capital in a large motorcade
Our two nations share a history and bond like no other. We can now overcome two decades of mistrust and move in a new direction Fitsum Arega, Chief of staff Ethiopia’s PM
as people wearing T-shirts with the images of the leaders cheered. The leaders then met oneon-one, with a smiling Abiy leaning toward Afwerki under a wall hung with their portraits. Also on Sunday, telephone connections were established between the neighbouring Horn of Africa countries.
“For the first time after two decades, a direct international telephone connection between Ethiopia and Eritrea is restored today,” tweeted Fitsum Arega, the chief of staff for Ethiopia’s prime minister.
The visit of Ethiopia’s prime minister to Asmara comes a month after Abiy surprised people by fully accepting a peace deal that ended a two-year border war that killed tens of thousands.
Ethiopia and Eritrea have not had diplomatic ties since the war began in 1998, with Abiy himself fighting in a town that remains contested today, and the countries have skirmished since then.
Abiy’s chief of staff, Fitsum Arega, said on Twitter that the visit aims to “further deepen efforts to bring about lasting peace.”
He shared photos of the leaders’ meeting and said Abiy, 42, was “very warmly received” by the 72-year-old Afwerki. —