After concluding the Beijing Africa-China Summit, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia directly flew to Eritrea to visit the status of the soon going operational ports of Assab and Massawa.
“Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his delegation were accorded warm welcome by President Isaias Afwerki when they arrived at Assab Airport this morning on a stop-over, two-day, visit to Eritrea on their way back home from the FOCAC Summit in Beijing,” twitted Yemane Gebremeskel, Information Minister of Eritrea.
He is visiting Eritrea for the second time since the two countries renewed their peaceful relationship ending the past 20 years ‘no-peace, no-war’ relationship.
“PM Abiy Ahmed expressed deep appreciation of ongoing preparatory work by the Eritrean Government to enhance Port services & related road infrastructure. ‘Progress in this component augurs well for efforts of both sides to ensure full implementation of all five pillars of the Agreement’… Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed arrived in Asmara at 3:00 pm this afternoon after wrapping up his quick visits to Assab and Massawa,” Mr. Yemane twitted.
Assab Port was the major port Ethiopia was using for its import and export trade before the two countries went to war in 1998. After restoring their relationship a few months ago, both the ports of Assab and Massawa were under renovation to serve Ethiopia again. After the war broke between the two nations, Ethiopia has been using the Port of Djibouti for about 20 years. The use of Eritrean ports as is expected to provide alternative port facilities.
Prime Minister has also visited one of road now under renovation, which links Port of Assab with Bure town of Ethiopia. Before his departure to Addis Ababa, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed will be attending the tripartite meeting of Ethiopia, Somalia and Eritrea in Asmara, according Mr. Yemane.
“The President of the Republic of Somalia, H.E. Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, will arrive in Asmara later today for a tripartite Summit with President Isaias Afwerki and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed,” he twitted.