Ethiopia And Eritrea To Sign A New Peace Agreement In Saudi Arabia

Ethiopia & Eritrea to sign "reconciliation agreement" next Sunday in Jeddah Saudi Arabia, Ahram reported citing diplomatic sources. According to Ahram, the pact will be signed in a trilateral summit between Saudi Arabia, #Ethiopia, & #Eritrea. https://t.co/DYhOEqRiNx pic.twitter.com/c8VOWFGDkT

— Eshete Bekele (@EsheteBekele) September 14, 2018

Al Jazeera: Ethiopia, Eritrea to sign new peace agreement in Saudi: UN

UN chief Antonio Guterres to be among those attending Sunday's signing ceremony in western city of Jeddah.
21 hours ago

The leaders of Ethiopia and Eritrea will attend a summit in Saudi Arabia on Sunday to sign a peace agreement "cementing" the relations between the two former Horn of Africa bitter rivals, according to a United Nations spokesperson.

Farhan Haq said on Friday that the signing ceremony will be hosted by Saudi King Salman in the Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and African Union Commission chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat are also expected to attend.

Haq did not provide further details about the agreement.

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Update: Ethiopia and Eritrea to sign peace agreement in Saudi Arabia (Africa News)

WNU Editor: After decades of conflict, it appears that this war is now at an end.

Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki Visits Ethiopia For The First Time In 20 Years In A Historic Trip

Al Jazeera: Eritrea President Isaias Afwerki in Ethiopia for landmark visit

Isaias Afwerki arrives for three-day visit, as Eritrea and Ethiopia further cement unprecedented thawing of relations.

Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki has arrived in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, for a three-day state visit, as part of an unprecedented softening of tensions between the neighbouring countries.

Saturday's visit by Isaias, his first in 20 years, comes a week after Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed made a landmark visit to Eritrea's capital, Asmara.

"Words cannot express the joy we are feeling now. History is being made as we speak," Isaias said during a lunch hosted by Abiy.

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More News On Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki Visiting Ethiopia For The First Time In 20 Years

Eritrea’s leader visits Ethiopia as dramatic thaw continues -- AP
Eritrea's president hails thaw in relations in return to Ethiopia -- Reuters
Eritrea's Leader Visits Ethiopia for First Time in Over 20 Years -- New York Times
Eritrea president says during Ethiopia visit: 'History is being made' -- Reuters
Eritrea's Isaias Afwerki in historic Ethiopia visit -- BBC
Eritrea’s president in Ethiopia for historic visit -- France 24
Eritrea president hails unity with Ethiopia on historic visit -- AFP
Eritrean leader arrives in Ethiopia for first time in two decades as uncertain peace deal advances -- The Telegraph
Eritrean leader gets rousing welcome as he 'returns home' to Ethiopia -- Africa News

Ethiopia And Eritrea Have Declared That The State Of War Between The Two Countries Is Now Over

BBC: Ethiopia's Abiy and Eritrea's Afewerki declare end of war

The leaders of Ethiopia and Eritrea have signed a declaration saying that the state of war between the two countries is over.

A peace deal ending the 1998-2000 border conflict has never been fully implemented and there has been tension between the neighbours ever since.

The countries have also agreed to re-establish trade and diplomatic ties.

The declaration came at a landmark meeting between the two countries' leaders in Eritrea's capital, Asmara.

The summit between Eritrea's President Isaias Afewerki and Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed marked the first time the neighbours' heads of state had met for nearly two decades.

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More News On Ethiopia And Eritrea Declaring That The State Of War Between The Two Countries Is Over

With hugs, leaders of Ethiopia, Eritrea restore relations -- AP
Ethiopia and Eritrea say war over, U.N. hails 'wind of hope' in Africa -- Reuters
Ethiopia, Eritrea declare war 'has come to an end' -- AFP
Ethiopia, Eritrea officially end war -- DW
Ethiopia and Eritrea declare 'state of war' over -- Al Jazeera
Ethiopia, Eritrea sign 'joint declaration of peace and friendship' in Asmara -- Reuters
Ethiopia and Eritrea declare end of decades-long war -- Telegraph.co.uk
Former sworn enemies Ethiopia and Eritrea have declared end of war -- CNN
Ethiopia and Eritrea agree to normalise ties, reopen embassies -- Al Jazeera
Ethiopia deal means 'state of war is over': Eritrean minister -- Reuters
Ethiopia, Eritrea to jointly develop ports on Eritrea's Red Sea Coast -- Reuters

Ethiopian - Eritrean Summit Begins To Formally End Decades Of Conflict

DW: Ethiopian leader arrives in Eritrea for landmark summit

After a 20-year long border dispute, the two leaders in the Horn of Africa have met in the Eritrean capital, Asmara. There are hopes this first step will develop a long-lasting good relationship.

The greeting between Ethiopia's newly elected reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and neighboring Eritrea's longtime President Isaias Afwerki in Eritrea's capital Asmara has been broadcast live in both countries. It is a scene that seemed improbable just a couple months ago.

Abiy's chief of staff, Fitsum Arega, posted photos of the leaders' meeting at the airport and said Abiy was "very warmly received" by the 72-year-old Afwerki who has ruled Eritrea since it gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993 after a years-long rebel insurgency.

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More News On Today's Ethiopian - Eritrean Summit

Bitter foes Ethiopia, Eritrea hold historic peace talks -- Reuters
With hugs, leaders of rivals Ethiopia, Eritrea finally meet -- AP
Ethiopian and Eritrean leaders meet in Asmara -- AFP
Ethiopia's leader makes historic visit to Eritrea after 20-year military standoff -- Washington Post
With Hugs, Bitter Foes From Ethiopia and Eritrea Meet for Peace Talks -- New York Times
Ethiopia-Eritrea border: Landmark summit aims to end conflict -- BBC
Eritrean, Ethiopian Leaders Meet for First Time in 18 Years -- VOA
Ethiopia's PM Abiy Ahmed in Eritrea for landmark visit -- Al Jazeera

Long-Time Foes Eritrea And Ethiopia Have “Opened The Door Of Peace” After Decades Of War (Update)

Reuters: Eritrea and Ethiopia 'open door of peace' after first talks in 20 years

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Long-time foes Eritrea and Ethiopia “opened the door of peace” on Tuesday after the first high-level visit from Asmara to Addis Ababa in nearly two decades, raising hopes for an end to one of Africa’s most intractable military stand-offs.

In a highly symbolic move, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Ethiopian Airlines would restart flights to Eritrea for the first time since 1998 when conflict erupted between the two nations over their disputed border, with diplomatic relations broken off ever since.

Tuesday’s visit comes after Abiy said this month he would honor all the terms of a peace deal, suggesting he might be ready to settle the border dispute, a move welcomed by Eritrea.

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WNU Editor:It is going to take more than a meeting to bring peace. But it is a start.

More News On Long-Time Foes Eritrea And Ethiopia Beginning Peace Talks

Ethiopia welcomes 1st delegation from rival Eritrea in years -- FOX News/AP
Ethiopia welcomes Eritrea delegation for historic talks -- France 24
Ethiopia PM Abiy Ahmed ready to open new chapter in Eritrea ties -- Al Jazeera

Eritrea's Foreign Minister In Ethiopia For Historic Talks

BBC: Eritrean officials visit Ethiopia for first time in 20 years

The first high-level Eritrean delegation in decades has reached Ethiopia for a visit which could ease decades of military tension.

Eritrea won independence from Ethiopia in 1993 after a 30-year conflict - but a border war five years later killed tens of thousands.

Diplomatic ties have been cut between the two countries for almost 20 years.

Last week, Ethiopia's prime minister said he would accept a peace deal awarding Eritrea disputed territory.

The deal, agreed by a border commission in 2002, had never formally been accepted by his country.

Abiy Ahmed became prime minister after his predecessor resigned in February, and has enacted a series of reforms since.

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Update #1: Eritrea's top diplomat in Ethiopia for historic talks -- AFP
Update #2: Eritrean, Ethiopian Officials Hold Landmark Talks on Peace Deal -- Bloomberg

WNU Editor: This conflict has been going on for decades. I doubt that both sides will bury the hatchet after these meetings even though Ethiopia has signaled a willingness to do so. But it is a start.

Ethiopia And Eritrea Move Forward On Peace Talks

Al Jazeera: Eritrea to send delegation to Ethiopia for talks

Move by Asmara comes after Addis Ababa said it will comply with peace deal and withdraw from contested border regions.

Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki said the East African country will dispatch a delegation to Addis Ababa to "gauge current developments" in the region following peace overtures from Ethiopia's new Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

"We will send a delegation to [Addis Ababa] to gauge current developments directly and in depth as well as to chart out a plan for continuous future action," Isaias said on Wednesday during a speech in Eritrea.

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WNU Editor: Finally there is hope in the Horn of Africa.

More News On Ethiopia And Eritrea Moving Forward On Peace Talks

Eritrea sending delegation to rival Ethiopia for peace talks -- AP
Eritrea welcomes Ethiopia PM's olive branch, raising hopes of breakthrough -- Reuters
Hope in the Horn as Eritrea-Ethiopia thaw takes shape -- AFP
Eritrea’s Isaias Accepts Ethiopia’s Offer for Peace Talks -- Ethiopia Observer
Eritrea to send 'peace' delegation to Ethiopia: diplomat -- Africa News

Ethiopia 'Accepts Peace Deal' That Will End Its Border War With Eritrea

BBC: Ethiopia 'accepts peace deal' to end Eritrea border war

Ethiopia's governing coalition has announced it will fully accept and implement the peace deal that ended its border war with Eritrea.

It says it will accept the outcome of a 2002 border commission ruling, which awarded disputed territories, including the town of Badme, to Eritrea.

This will end a dispute with Eritrea that sparked Africa's deadliest border war in 1998.

Tens of thousands of people were killed in two years of fighting.

The two sides have remained on a war footing as Ethiopia had, until now, refused to accept the ruling of the border commission, which was set up as part of a peace deal.

As a result, Ethiopia had refused to withdraw its troops out of the disputed areas - leading Eritrea to accuse Ethiopia of forcefully occupying its territory.

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More News On Ethiopia 'Accepting The Peace Deal' That Will End Its Border War With Eritrea

Ethiopia accepts peace deal with longtime rival Eritrea -- Al Jazeera
Ethiopia says it is ready to implement Eritrea peace deal and privatize parts of the economy -- Washington Post
Ethiopia Will 'Fully Accept' 2000 Peace Agreement with Eritrea -- The New York Times
Ethiopia to cede land at heart of bloody conflict with Eritrea -- Financial Times
Ethiopia accepts the Algiers agreement in bid to normalize relations with Eritrea; opens up its economy -- Addis Standard
Ethiopia accepts Ethio-Eritrea boundary findings, border war expected to end -- Africa News

Growing Border War Between Ethiopia And Eritrea Intensifying

Bloomberg: Eritrea Says It Killed 200 Ethiopian Troops in Border Clash

* Two countries have history of trading accusations of violence
* Horn of Africa nations fought border war in 1998-2000

Eritrea said more than 200 Ethiopian troops were killed in June 12 clashes on their joint border, the latest in a series on confrontations since the Horn of Africa nations separated more than two decades ago.

A further 300 Ethiopian soldiers were wounded, Eritrea’s Information Ministry said Thursday in a statement on its website. The tolls are “conservative estimates,” it said. Ethiopian Communications Minister Getachew Reda didn’t answer two calls and a text message seeking comment.

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More News On The Growing Border War Between Ethiopia And Eritrea

Eritrea claims it killed 200 in Ethiopia clash -- AFP
Eritrea says it killed 200 Ethiopian troops in border clash, Addis Ababa points to ‘seriously weakened’ rival -- Mail & Guardian
Eritrea Says More than 200 Ethiopians Killed in Border Clash -- VOA
Ethiopia: Neighbours On the Brink of Deadly Clashes -- CAJNews
Eritrea, Ethiopia Trade Blame After Border Clash -- VOA
Eritrea, Ethiopia both claim victory in border fighting -- IHS Jane's 360
Eritrea, Ethiopia Volley Blame for Border Clashes, Highlight Persistent Tension -- The Wire
UN chief urges restraint after Ethiopia-Eritrea border clash -- AP

Heavy Border Clashes Reported Between Eritrea And Ethiopia

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

AFP: 'Significant' casualities in Eritrea and Ethiopia border battle

Arch-rivals Ethiopia and Eritrea traded blame Monday for a border battle in which "significant" casualties were reported, one of the worst clashes since the end of a 1998-2000 border war.

"There were significant casualties on both sides, but more on the Eritrean side," Ethiopian government spokesman Getachew Reda told AFP.

He said the battle that began Sunday was one of the most serious in recent years, noting that while the two sides had exchanged gun fire in the past, this clash was on a far larger scale. The fighting had reportedly calmed on Monday.

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More News On Heavy Border Clashes Between Eritrea And Ethiopia

Eritrea blames Ethiopia for border clash -- BBC
Eritrea accuses Ethiopia of border attack -- DW
Eritrea, Ethiopia trade blame for border clashes -- Reuters
Eritrea Accuses Ethiopian Forces of Attacks in Border Region -- Bloomberg
Fighting Reported on Eritrea-Ethiopia Border -- VOA
Casualties in Eritrea border clash, says Ethiopia -- ENCA

No One In The World Cares About The Ethiopian - Eritrean Conflict

Eritrea Is An Easy Target For Ethiopia -- Simon Tisdall, The Guardian

The isolated, friendless regime of Isaias Afwerki will find few international protectors against Ethiopia's military incursions

Ethiopia's military incursion into neighbouring Eritrea, reinforced by weekend follow-up attacks, has received remarkably little international attention – and no outright condemnation, in the west at least. Britain said it was "deeply concerned" but declined to censure Addis Ababa. The US piously urged "restraint". Eritrea's demand that the UN security council punish Ethiopia has been met by deafening silence.

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More News On The Ethiopia - Eritrea Conflict

Ethiopia stages fresh attacks inside Eritrea -- Al Jazeera
Ethiopia Denies Report That It Made More Attacks Inside Eritrea -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Further Conflict Erupts on the Horn of Africa -- IVN
Eritrea Backs Down -- News Dire (Ethiopia)
Eritrea says won’t be dragged into another war with Ethiopia -- Nazret
Ethiopia and Eritrea: At it Again…And No One Seems to Care -- Hayes Brown, UN Dispatch

Ethiopia's Raid Into Eritrea Raises Fears Of Another War

Ethiopian Raid On Eritrean Bases Raises Fears Of Renewed Conflict -- The Guardian

Ethiopia says military assault targeted 'subversive groups' that had carried out attacks on its territory

Fears of renewed conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea have intensified after Addis Ababa announced it had sent troops into its sworn enemy's territory for the first time in more than a decade.

Ethiopia's forces carried out a dawn raid on Thursday in neighbouring Eritrea in what it described as a successful attack against military targets.

Shimeles Kemal, a government spokesman, said Ethiopia launched the military assault because Eritrea was training "subversive groups" that had carried out attacks on its territory.

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More News On Ethiopia's Raid Into Eritrea

Ethiopian forces raid military posts in Eritrea -- CNN
Ethiopian troops attack rebel 'launching pads' in Eritrea -- Reuters
Eritrea: Ethiopia Attacked Us Over Border Dispute -- ABC News/AP
Eritrea Says Ethiopia Military Raid Marks Decade of Aggression -- Bloomberg
Eritrea urges U.N. action after Ethiopia attack -- Reuters
Eritrea 'will not fight Ethiopia' -- BBC
Eritrea Calls for UN to Respond After Ethiopian Attack -- Voice of America
Eritrea says will not retaliate against Ethiopia -- AFP

BREAKING NEWS: Ethiopian Troops Invade Eritrea

Ethiopian Army Attacks Eritrean Military Post In Retaliation For Rebel Violence -- Christian Science Monitor

Ethiopia's attack on an Eritrean-based rebel camp is the latest sign of deteriorating relations with Eritrea. Ethiopia and Eritrea fought a two-year war in 1998 that killed some 70,000 people.

Ethiopia's military launched an attack against "terrorist camps" inside Eritrea today in one of the most serious incidents since conflict between the two neighbors ended 12 years ago.

The morning raid was in areas where the "Eritrean government trained, armed, and deployed hit-and-run terrorist and subversive groups," said government spokesman Shimeles Kemal.

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More News On Ethiopia's Invasion of Eritrea

Ethiopia attacks Eritrean base after tourist killings -- AFP
Ethiopia 'launches military attack inside Eritrea' -- BBC
Ethiopian Troops Enter Eritrea -- New York Times
Ethiopian troops attack Eritrea to retaliate for rebel strikes -- Washington Times/AP
Ethiopia troops attack rebels inside pariah state Eritrea -- National Post/Reuters
Ethiopia Attacks Military Posts Inside Eritrea -- RTT
Ethiopia carries out ground attacks on military posts inside archrival Eritrea -- Washington Post
Ethiopia Attacks Military Base Inside Eritrea -- Voice of America
Ethiopian troops attack rebels in Eritrea -- Reuters
12 years after bloody war, Ethiopia attacks Eritrea -- MSNBC
US urges restraint from Ethiopia, Eritrea -- AFP
Ethiopia and Eritrea History: Decades of Unrest -- Voice of America

The Hague Ruling On The Ethiopia - Eritrean War Will Probably Be Ignored

Horn Of Africa Damages Ruling Due -- BBC

An international tribunal is to decide what compensation Ethiopia and Eritrea should pay each other for damages inflicted in the 1998-2000 border war.

Monday's decision is the final element in the peace deal that ended the war, which cost at least 100,000 lives.

The Eritrea-Ethiopia Claims Commission at The Hague will provide the two nations with the judgement that lawyers have been working on since March 2001.

Exactly what it says will be made public in a few days time.

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My Comment: You would think that after years of conflict and war, these two destitute nations would come to some form of accommodation.

But no .... the bitterness and hatred still exists, and war is always on the horizon.

African Union Calls On UN To Impose Sanctions On Eritrea

From Yahoo News/Reuters:

ADDIS ABABA (AFP) – The African Union on Friday called on the UN Security Council to take "immediate measures" to impose sanctions on Eritrea over its support for Islamist insurgents in Somalia.

It specifically asked for "the imposition of an aerial exclusion zone in Somalia and the blockade of ports and airports (and) sanctions against Eritrea" said Epiphanie Kabushemeye, president of the AU's peace and security council.

Last Friday the UN Security Council voiced concern about reported Eritrean arms supplies to the Islamists, after the United States accused Eritrea of "fanning the flames of violence" in Somalia.

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My Comment: Eritrea's involvement in the civil war of Somalia is an extension of its conflict with Ethiopia. Both sides have been hostile towards each other since Eritrea fought and gained its independence a number of years ago. The problem with Eritrea is that its involvement is completely contrary to what the member states of the AU want.