Eritrea appoints first ambassador to Ethiopia in two decades

Two days after Ethiopia named an ambassador to Eritrea, the latter’s president Isaias Afwerki has appointed its first ambassador to its neighbour in two decades, the government said on Saturday.

The job went to Semere Russom, Eritrea’s current education minister and former ambassador to the United States, Information Minister Yemane Meskel said on Twitter.

President Isaias Afwerki has appointed the current Minister of Education, Mr. Semere Russom, as Ambassador to Ethiopia. Mr. Semere, who will retain his Ministerial rank, has served as Eritrea’s Ambassador to the US and Governor of the Central Region in previous years pic.twitter.com/GGTiWQNKqv

— Yemane G. Meskel (@hawelti) 21 juillet 2018

Since signing an agreement in Asmara on July 9 to restore ties, Eritrean and Ethiopian leaders have moved swiftly to sweep away two decades of hostility since conflict erupted between the two neighbours in the Horn of Africa in 1998.

On Thursday, Ethiopia named Redwan Hussien, formerly Ethiopian ambassador to Ireland, to become Addis Ababa’s representative in Asmara.

Eritrea accepts Abiy’s peace offer

The rapprochement was triggered by the taking office in April of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who announced he wanted to implement a peace deal that ended the war.

Both leaders have visited each other and Isaias this week reopened his country’s embassy in Addis Ababa.

Ethiopia’s national carrier Ethiopia Airlines on Wednesday made its first flight to Asmara in two decades and was greeted by dancers waving flags and flowers as families separated by the war and the ensuing hostilities made an emotional reunion.

Photos: How Eritreans welcomed Ethiopians at Asmara airportREUTERS