In a historic development in East Africa, Ethiopia and Eritrea have re-established diplomatic ties after a nearly 2-decade-long border dispute that killed tens of thousands of people in the late 1990s. The leaders of the two countries met for a landmark meeting in Eritrea’s capital, Asmara, over the weekend, in which the two leaders agreed to reopen embassies in their respective capitals and resume flights between the two countries. Eritrea also agreed to allow landlocked Ethiopia to use Eritrean ports on the Red Sea. This weekend’s summit was the first time the leaders of the two countries had met face to face in nearly 20 years. This is Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed: “If there is peace between Ethiopian and Eritrean people, the Horn of Africa region will be a region of peace and development. Our people who live scattered as refugees in humiliation will come back with dignity. Our citizens will not be sold and exchanged like commodities.”