The new, positive and optimistic relationship between Eritrea and Ethiopia after being at loggerheads for almost two decades keeps getting stronger by the day.
On Thursday, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed arrived in neighbouring Eritrea for a two-day visit to further discuss with President Isaias Afwerki their ongoing peace process as well as cooperation between the two countries, according to BBC.
The visit was also confirmed by Eritrea’s Minister of Information Yemane G. Meskel.
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“President Isaias Afwerki & PM Abiy Ahmed met at State House today for extensive talks on further deepening the ongoing vibrant peace process & all-rounded cooperation between the two countries on the basis of the five-point Joint Declaration of Peace & Friendship of 9 July 2018,” he Tweeted.
In an Eritrean State TV video that was shared on social media and subsequently went viral, Abiy and his entourage could be seen strolling on the streets of Asmara together with Afwerki as a jubilant crowd cheered, waved, shook hands and interacted with them.
In what looked like a home-away-from-home feeling, Abiy was also seen driving around with Afwerki at the passenger seat as they took a look at some projects.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed charted the Horn of Africa diplomatic restoration path after the historic visit to Eritrea in July last year where he met President Isaias Afwerki and they mended ties which were broken since 1998 when a border war at Badme broke out.
Afwerki also paid his first visit to Ethiopia a week after Abiy’s gesture and the borders were opened, phone lines were opened, flights between the two countries resumed, seaports were opened and embassies were re-opened in their respective capitals.
Take a look at the video of Abiy’s recent visit to Eritrea and him comfortably driving around below:
This isn’t the first time Abiy has been seen behind the wheels on official duty. When the prince of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed Bin Zayed visited Ethiopia last year, he was spotted driving him out of the Bole International Airport after he arrived.
