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ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – With laughter and embrace, Ethiopian and Eritrean leaders met for the first time in nearly two decades on Sunday in a quick and dramatic diplomatic thaw
. in the capital of Eritrea, Asmara. A live broadcast by Eritrean public television shows that he was greeted at the airport by President Isaias Afwerki – a scene unthinkable only a few months ago
Both countries waged a war in the late 1990s, killing 80,000 people. On Sunday, the crowds danced and sang for the leaders, and the streets of Asmara were paved with Ethiopian and Eritrean flags. Mr. Abiy and Mr. Afwerki passed through Asmara in a large procession where people wearing T-shirts with photos of the two leaders applauded.
The men met later, with a smiling Mr. Abiy leaning towards Mr. Afwerki.
The visit comes one month after Mr. Abiy surprised the people by fully accepting a 2000 peace agreement that ended a two-year border war between the two countries.
Ethiopia and Eritrea have not had diplomatic relations since the beginning of the war in 1998, Mr. Abiy himself fighting in a city that remains disputed today. Countries have since swindled in one of the longest conflicts in Africa.
Abiy's chief of staff, Fitsum Arega, stated on Twitter that the visit was aimed at "deepening efforts to achieve lasting peace." He shared the photos of the leaders' meeting and said: "Very warmly received" by Mr. Afwerki, 72 years old.
"Our two nations share a story and a connection like no other," he said. "We can now overcome two decades of mistrust and take a new direction."
The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs described this visit as "an effort to normalize relations with Eritrea" and said that Mr. Abiy should discuss with Eritrean leaders.
Estifanos Afeworki, ambassador of Eritrea to Japan, stated on Twitter that "no leader has received such a warm welcome, as today. today, in Asmara in the history of Eritrea ".
Ethiopians expressed a welcome shock at the meeting, which was shown live by the Ethiopian state broadcaster.
"History … the beginning of the end The glass ceiling was broken," Shewit Wudassie, a resident, wrote on Facebook Another Facebook user, Djphat Su, wrote: "Is this What I dream or what? "
The decision to fully accept the peace agreement was the most important and surprising change ever announced by the Ethiopian Prime Minister after years of anti-government protests Claiming more freedoms, journalists and opposition figures were released, which freed the public economy and unlocked hundreds of websites.
from Ethiopia and sent the first official delegation in two decades to "evaluate the current developments directly and in-depth" to plan the next steps Ethiopia has taken advantage of this visit to announce that Ethiopian Airlines would soon start its flights worm s Eritrea.
While Ethiopia is the second most populous nation in Africa and one of the fastest growing economies in the world, Eritrea is the world's largest and most populous country in the world. One of the most closed nations in the world. ruled by Mr. Afwerki since his independence from Ethiopia in 1993 after years of rebel war. Eritrea has become an important source of migrants fleeing to Europe, Israel and other African countries in recent years, while human rights groups have criticized its hard laws on military conscription
. The diplomatic thaw has asked if peace with Ethiopia would cause Eritrea to relax and abandon its long defensive stance.
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