Eritrea’s President Isaias Afwerki visits Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed assures strong biz bond

The President of Eritrea, Isaias Afwerki is on an official working visit to Ethiopia. This is his second trip to Ethiopia after the two neighbours ended their decades old enmity last year.

Little progress to carry forward bonhomie between Ethiopia and Eritrea has taken place despite both the countries signed a number of deals to end the state of hostility and establish a new era of peace, friendship and comprehensive cooperation. The analysts believe this has left the door open for uncertainty and suspicion to creep back.

The coarse relations between the Eritrean government and Ethiopia’s Tigray regional administration and the closure of border roads linking the two neighbours as well as the absence of a clear trade policy between them have gravely affected people to people relations and the emerging trade relations.

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed and Eritrea’s President, Isaias Afwerki have laid on December 26 the first stone of what will be the new Eritrean Embassy in Addis Ababa. During the ceremony, the Ethiopian Nobel Peace Prize laureate said that the grounds on which the new diplomatic legation will be erected are a gift to the Eritreans and their Government.

Abiy Ahmed said that he and his government hopes that this beautiful relationship with Eritrea will contribute to further cementing the diplomatic relations re-established last year. He further revealed that during the visit of Eritrea’s Head of State, Isaias Afwerki, he would have more opportunity to discuss a greater economic integration between the two countries.

So far, the Eritrean delegation has visited Unity Park at the national palace, Sheger Beautifying Project Entoto, Entoto observatory and research center and other infrastructure development activities in Addis Ababa and its environs.