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ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – The Eritrean president will make a historic visit to Ethiopia this weekend, sealing a staggering rapprochement with his giant neighbor after a generation of mutual hatred and mistrust.
Rapid changes come after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched a peace initiative last month. He visited the capital of Eritrea last weekend and signed a pact with Isaias on resuming relations, a move that ended a military stalemate of nearly 20 years after a border war.
"President Isaias Afwerki will lead a delegation and make an official visit to Ethiopia tomorrow, July 14," tweeted Yemane.
"The visit will strengthen / strengthen the joint march for peace and cooperation initiated by the two leaders."
Neighbors of the Horn of Africa have agreed to open embassies, develop ports and resume flights. signs of rapprochement after two decades of hostility since the outbreak of war on their disputed border in 1998.
Abiy's chief of staff tweeted that the visit will last three days.
Reconciliation could transform politics and security in the volatile region of the Horn, as hundreds of thousands of young people fled in search of security and opportunity in Europe.
Under the new reformist prime minister, Ethiopia opens to the outside world after decades of relative isolation obsessed with security.
Since taking office in April, Mr. Abiy has announced his intention to partially open the economy, including attracting foreign capital to the national telecommunications company and the national airline. The country, with a population of 100 million, has experienced rapid economic growth over the past decade.
Report of Aaaron Maasho; Maggie Fick's writing; Editing by Janet Lawrence
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