Ethiopian, Eritrean leaders joint visit to celebrate Ethiopian new year

NAIROBI, Sept 11 (Reuters) - The leaders of Ethiopia and Eritrea made a joint visit to celebrate the Ethiopian New Year on Tuesday with their troops on the border, in a further step toward warmer ties between two countries that fought a war two decades ago.

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki made the visit at Bure, a region that saw some of the fiercest fightings during the 1998-2000 war, in which 80,000 people died.

"PM Abiy Ahmed and President Isaias Afwerki are visiting Bure Front along Ethio-Eritrea border to celebrate the New Year with members of the Ethiopian & Eritrean Defense Forces following the full normalization of the relations between the two countries. #Ethiopia #Eritrea," Fitsum Arega, Abiy's Chief of Staff, said on Twitter. 

PM Abiy Ahmed in his New Year’s speech said #Ethiopia-n Defence Force & #Eritrea-n Defence Force will celebrate The New Year together at the border. A very Happy New Year to all Ethiopians & Eritreans. May our collective purpose for the New Year be a more peaceful & united! pic.twitter.com/q4Y8JHEMpd

— Fitsum Arega (@fitsumaregaa) September 10, 2018

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