Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed arrived in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, Sunday for talks with President Isaias Afwerki during which the two heads of state discussed how to resolve their “intricate border issues” and normalizing relations, the state-owned Ethiopian News Agency reported. Eritrean state television showed footage of the two men embracing while Abiy’s chief of staff, Fitsum Arega, tweeted photographs saying, “The visit offers a spectacular opportunity to decidedly move forward peace for the good of our people.”

In a scene unimaginable just weeks ago, Abiy stepped from an Ethiopian Airlines plane at the airport in Asmara, greeting Isaias and hugging him before the pair strode off along a red carpet. He is also Ethiopia’s first prime minister from Oromia, a region far removed from the contentious border region and the TPLF political party that controlled Ethiopia since Eritrea, a former province, gained independence in 1993. Ethiopia until this month had declined to endorse the results of the peace agreement fully, including the symbolically important town of Badme which Ethiopia currently controls but which was awarded to Eritrea.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed meets with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki in Asmara and they pledge to restore diplomatic relations.