Ethiopia, Eritrea declares war 'has come to an end'

Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel said on Twitter that Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, 41, and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, 71, had signed a "Joint Declaration of Peace and Friendship" on the second day of the

Eritrea and Ethiopia have signed a Joint Declaration of Peace and Friendship today. The Agreement, which specifies five pillars, was signed this morning at State House by President Isaias Afwerki and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed pic.twitter.com/ACSticSWpm

– Yemane G. Meskel (@hawelti) July 9, 2018

The statement declared that the "state of war that exists between the two countries has come to an end."

"Both countries will work "Yemane added."

Images of the ceremony displayed by the United States, "backed by their nations" flags, as well as signed the document.

The declaration echoed comments made by Abiy at a dinner hosted by Isaias late Sunday, where he said diplomatic, trade, transport and communications would be re-established and borders re-opened.

"We agreed that the airlines will start operating, the ports will be "Abiy said,

" We will demolish the wall and, with love, build a bridge between the two countries, "he said.

Ethiopia's state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate reported that Ethiopian Airlines would begin trading between the two capitals as early as next week.

Direct telephone communications were also restored for the first time in two decades,

"No words!" a 30-year-old product designer in Addis Ababa told AFP after a phone call in Eritrea he had not heard of

"I was crying at home by myself.

United Nations General Secretary Antonio Guterres hailed the dizzying peace process "

Abiy's Chief of Staff Fitsum Arega wrote on Twitter that he had submitted a letter to Guterres during his visit to Addis Ababa for the facelift of sanctions against Eritrea, which includes an arms embargo on the face of the United States.

– Whirlwind reforms –

The thaw began when Abiy said Ethiopia would be abide by a 2002 UN-backed ruling, made after a Two-year frontier war, and hand back to Eritrea disputed border territory, including the flashpoint town of Badme.

The re-establishment of diplomatic and trade unions after years of bitter separation could mean big benefits for both nations, and the wider Horn of Africa region, plagued by conflict and poverty.

A break from the province of Ethiopia, which is part of the Red Sea coastline, Eritrea voted to leave in 1993 after a decades-long, bloody …

The break landlocked, Ethiopia, and the deterioration of relations to the continuing cold war Ethiopia to rely on Djibouti for its sea trade.

Ethiopian access to Eritrea's ports will be an economic boon for both, a challenge to t he increasing dominance of Djibouti which has benefited from importing and exporting the vast majority of goods to Africa's second-most populous country.

Free movement across the border will also unite, once again, two peoples closely linked by history, language and ethnicity

Ethiopia 's Foreign Minister Workneh Gebeyehu told reporters Monday that joint commissions on economics, politics and military cooperation would be set up to "work out the exact time and place of the implementation plan.

Regional leaders welcomed the peace efforts Rwanda's President Paul Kagame telling Abiy and Isaias, "We congratulate you and are with you," in a Twitter statement.

Kenya's Uhuru Kenyatta also congratulating the two leaders for "choosing the path of friendship. "

Since taking office in April, Abiy has led whirlwind reforms reversing some of the touchstone policies of the Ethiopian People's ruling Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF).

A Nation of About 5.1 Million People, Eritrea.

A nation of about 5.1 million people, Eritrea The UN has said 5,000 Eritreans flee their country every month, indefinite military conscription.

AFP