Ethiopia and Eritrea to make peace after 18 years of hostility and border wars

[Khalid Ali]

Ethiopia says it is ready to implement Eritrea peace deal and privatize parts of the economy
By Paul Schemm

June 5, 2018 at 2:30 PM


Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta, right, talks to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Nairobi, May 7. (Reuters/)
ADDIS ABABA, Ethi­o­pia — Ethiopia’s ruling party announced plans Tuesday to implement a long-moribund peace deal with Eritrea, opening the way for improved relations after 18 years of hostility.

The surprise announcement also included plans to allow private sector involvement in industries long reserved for the state, in a major revision of economic policy.

The moves are part of reforms being implemented by Ethiopia’s new prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, who was selected by the party in March after his predecessor resigned amid widespread unrest.

Since becoming prime minister, Abiy has freed hundreds of prisoners and met with outlawed opposition figures, and on Tuesday, Parliament at his behest lifted a state of emergency two months early.

At his inauguration, Abiy also had pledged to improve ties with Eritrea, but few expected as dramatic a move as came out of Tuesday’s meeting of the executive committee of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front.


Related: [Ethiopia moves to lift state of emergency two months early as tensions ease]

Eritrea was once part of Ethi­o­pia and fought for decades for its independence, which it finally achieved after helping rebels overthrow the communist Derg government in 1991. Initially, it had close ties with Ethiopia’s new rebel-formed government.

In 1998, however, a dispute over the nondescript border town of Badme turned into a savage, year-and-a-half-long war that claimed tens of thousands of lives on both sides.

A peace agreement known as the Algiers accord was finally signed in 2000, and international arbitration awarded the village to Eritrea — but Ethi­o­pia balked at implementing the deal.

The result was two decades of hostile stalemate with periodic clashes on the border, most recently in 2016 when hundreds were killed. Ethi­o­pia is also home to tens of thousands of Eritrean refugees and has lost access to its traditional outlets to the Red Sea along the Eritrean coast.

With Ethi­o­pia announcing its willingness to pull out of Badme, the door is finally open for improved relations between the two countries, which share extensive links.

“Ethiopia and Eritrea have the most unique cultural, historical and blood ties. The suffering on both sides is unspeakable because the peace process is deadlocked. This must change for the sake of our common good,” Fitsum Arega, the prime minister’s chief of staff, tweeted shortly before the announcement.

Almost overshadowed by news that Ethi­o­pia could be reconciling with a historical enemy was what appeared to be a major shift in the country’s economic approach.


While one of the fastest growing in Africa, Ethi­o­pia’s economy remains dominated by the state, with a very limited role for the private sector.

Now private sector participation will be allowed in energy, telecommunications and aviation — all government monopolies — the party announced, although the state will still hold majority stakes.

Other sectors, however, will be open to full private sector ownership, including railways, the sugar industry and hotels, said the announcement.

Amid its high growth, Ethi­o­pia has been accumulating large amounts of debt even as job growth has faltered, contributing to the unrest. Inviting in the private sector appears to be an effort to rethink the country’s state-driven growth model and boost the economy.

Read more:

Related: After years of unrest, Ethiopians are riding an unlikely wave of hope.

Related: Under a new state of emergency, Ethiopia is on the brink of crisis, again

Related: Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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[Advo]

This is good!

We need more peace in the Horn, no more unnecessary wars.

[LiquidHYDROGEN]

Very bizarre conflict. It's basically two Habesha-minority dominated authoritarian regimes at war with one another. They should be brothers, since they have a lot in common, including human rights abuses.

[Saeedlfc]

Dumb comment, because of Eritrea, Ethiopia are landlocked, don't expect them to be buddies.

[Khalid Ali]

The Eritrean tigrinya kabassa people are not a minority in Eritrea they are actually the majority's. Tigrinya is the unofficially language of Eritrea . The tigray in Ethiopia are minority but they rule Ethiopia because they own all economic activities of the country..also the tigray divide amhara and oromo divide and conquer strategy. Tigray people of Ethiopia had never any problem with Eritrea independenc. Melez zenawi his mother was from asmara. Many of the Tigrai leader ship of Ethiopia grew up or were born in asmara. Tigrians just fought Eritrean because Eritreans were becoming rich they were co managing ethiopia with tigrians and the Ethiopian wealth was being distributed among Eritreans it was an economic war and Meles zenawi hated isiyas afawerki the dictator of asmara. Both TPLF and EPLF are Marxist communist rebels and are based on shuuci principles and ideology. Tigrians and tigrinya folks are a bit like Somalis they have awrajas which is what we called clan degmos. They hate each other because of qabiil and there is allot of rivalry and competion between the various clans and subclans and awrajas...

[Murax]

Ofcourse why wouldn’t they unite they are 2 Xabashi Christien nations. Its sad that the one unique Nation surrounded by Xabashi christians are the most disunited out of all of them (Somalis) when they have every reason to be united being that they are a minority in the horn.

[MarsinQorahay]

The Amharas are mad now, as they want to invade eritrea and bring it back to Ethiopia.

[Khalid Ali]

Ofcourse why wouldn’t they unite they are 2 Xabashi Christien nations. Its sad that the one unique Nation surrounded by Xabashi christians are the most disunited out of all of them (Somalis) when they have every reason to be united being that they are a minority in the horn.

Somalis hate and disrrust each other there is a bigger chance the Palestinians and the israelis agreeing on the Jerusalem dispute. Then Somalis uniting or compromising why don't people see that it's been 27 years since afweyne was removed from power. And there has been zero attempt of reconciliation. Alshabaab and dowlad are still in conflict and mamuul gobokeedyada are on each other throats and ngo guys' are enriching each other. Allahasahlob amuuraraha the last 10 days Ramadan began hala duceysto waxkale majirto eh

[Futurist]

Ofcourse why wouldn’t they unite they are 2 Xabashi Christien nations. Its sad that the one unique Nation surrounded by Xabashi christians are the most disunited out of all of them (Somalis) when they have every reason to be united being that they are a minority in the horn.

Somalis hate and disrrust each other there is a bigger chance the Palestinians and the israelis agreeing on the Jerusalem dispute. Then Somalis uniting or compromising why don't people see that it's been 27 years since afweyne was removed from power. And there has been zero attempt of reconciliation. Alshabaab and dowlad are still in conflict and mamuul gobokeedyada are on each other throats and ngo guys' are enriching each other. Allahasahlob amuuraraha the last 10 days Ramadan began hala duceysto waxkale majirto eh

Khalid Ethiopia has just signed a peace deal . They now have 100,000 soldiers who were on the border with Eritrea that they are redeploying. Some media reports say troop movements have already started.

The question is what is TPLF planning. Where are these soldiers going? Why are they moving them from the Eritrean border? Why is Ethiopia setting up a navy unless they mean to fight a naval country...

Bal u feker arinntan. Its gonna be one of two things. Either they are preparing to fight Oromo and Amhara uprising with these troops. Or they are preparing to invade Somalia again

[Khalid Ali]

Badme was always useless for the tigrais they just held on that territory to annoy isias afewerki I think the tigrais are going to crack down some amhara in gonder area. Tigria claims towns in north gonder as part of tigray kilil the navel forces they always had these trainings and excersises. It's nothing to worry about ethiopia is not gonna invade Somalia it already has troops in Somalia. Also I think the Egyptian Ethiopian nile conflict should be closely followed Ethiopia build the great abay grand dam its already in talks with Susan on this issue. Ethiopia is gonne enter a new phase and chapter it's it's regional power it's confident in the region it's succeeding in all of its adventures

[theyuusuf143]

Many ethiopian tigray peaple don't support this . Because the real conflict is between the two tigrays . How ever I think it's a good sign of progress the horn needs to be peaceful and ethiopia is leading the way.

[Waachis]

Tigray is begging for Eritrea to forgive them. Open up their ports to their future independent landlocked state... And if possible, form an alliance against the oromo and amara...
If that happens,
That will end With having the entire region in flames....
Muslims of eritrea wont stand for it, historically they celebrated when the two tigrayan cousins went to war ..the last thing they want is the two christian tigrayans teaming up against them.
Oromo will never back down as well....

[Khalid Ali]

Waachis Eritrean Muslim ethnics are very divided really saho tigre and afar and bilen and jabarti and beja are very divided politically. The tigrinya tigrai community or the Christian broters are more political savy and that's why they will rule Eritrea and Ethiopia both Eritrean and tigre fear amhara royal family taking their place in ethiopia that's why they made peace

[Waachis]

Waachis Eritrean Muslim ethnics are very divided really saho tigre and afar and bilen and jabarti and beja are very divided politically. The tigrinya tigrai community or the Christian broters are more political savy and that's why they will rule Eritrea and Ethiopia both Eritrean and tigre fear amhara royal family taking their place in ethiopia that's why they made peace

that maybe true, but keep in mind that, sudan and qatar are funding the muslim eritrean opposition.
if this tplf-eplf reunion happens, this will fuel this muslim eritrean movement. they will get more recruits.
qatar has the billions, sudan has the bases and border with eritrea. they can arm and train the afar, saho, tigre, etc.
to be honest, the amhara are not a threat to tplf/eplf now, it's the oromos who are. amharas are in defensive mode, right now.
the amhara can only successfully defend themselves, not wage offensives. tigray is a highly militarized and armed region, the amhara would not stand a chance against them, alone.

[AbdiWahab252]

It would not be good for Afeworki. He survives under a constant war footing. Take that away and he has no excuse for the hardships faced by his people