Eritrean delegation due in Ethiopia this week

ADDIS ABABA: Eritrean officials are expected in Ethiopia’s capital this week in a rare diplomatic meeting between the hostile neighbours, Ethiopian state media said Monday.

“A high-level Eritrean government delegation will arrive in Addis Ababa this week,” stateaffiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate reported, without giving further details.

Eritrea and Ethiopia have been bitter foes since fighting a frontier war between 1998-2000 that killed 80,000 people. Animosity continued as Ethiopia refused to abandon territory handed to Eritrea as part of a 2002 border demarcation.

But this month Ethiopia’s prime minister Abiy Ahmed said he would now accept the demarcation, prompting Asmara to announce an official visit to Ethiopia.

A former province of Ethiopia, Eritrea voted for independence in 1993, rendering Ethiopia landlocked.

Abiy took office in April after years of political turmoil and anti-government unrest in Africa’s second most-populous country.

He has since pursued an ambitious reform agenda including liberalising the economy and releasing jailed dissidents.

The Eritrean meeting has been scheduled despite a blast on Saturday at a pro-government rally where Abiy was making a speech. Two people were killed and 150 people injured.

The state media on Sunday reported 30 people had been arrested on suspicion of involvement, in addition to nine police. — AFP