The much-anticipated opening of the Zalambesa and Bure points on the Eritrea-Ethiopia border, occurred today.
Zalambesa connects Eritrea capital Asmara to Tigrayan capital Mekele and towns further south to Ethiopia, whereas Bure is a mere 60 miles to Eritrean port Asab.
Both are strategic towns which were the sites of heavy casualties in the 1998-2000 Eritrea Ethiopia border war.
The event was attended by senior government officials from Eritrea and Ethiopia. And one unannounced guest: Abraham Isaias Afwerki. Our peace dividend is: we now know who the #2 is in Eritrea.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed told Ethiopian journalists that the two leaders had agreed months ago that they would celebrate the day, September 11, which marks New Year Day in Ethiopia’s calendar, together.
He also said that the “beginning today, Ethiopian Defense Forces will significantly reduce their state of alert which was based on the tense emotions of hostilities in the border and return to their camps and an environment of rest, recuperation and training will be created.”
Abiy Ahmed Interview
The Party At Zalambesa
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Eri-TV News (Tigre)
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