Eritrea Names First Ambassador to Ethiopia in Two Decades

Ambassador Semere Russom 

Eritrea Names First Ambassador to Ethiopia in Two Decades

By Reuters

Eritrea has appointed its first ambassador to neighboring Ethiopia in two decades, the government said on Saturday, as the two countries pushed on with a surprise rapprochement.

The development was part of a head-snapping series of diplomatic moves between the two nations, after they formally declared an end this month to their “state of war,” a two-decade standoff that followed a brutal border conflict that claimed about 80,000 lives.

The job of ambassador went to Semere Russom, who was Eritrea’s education minister and a former envoy to the United States, Information Minister Yemane G. Meskel said on Twitter.

President Isaias Afwerki has appointed the current Minister of Education, Mr. Semere Russom, as Ambassador to Ethiopia. Mr. Semere, who will retain his Ministerial rank, has served as Eritrea's Ambassador to the US and Governor of the Central Region in previous years pic.twitter.com/GGTiWQNKqv

— Yemane G. Meskel (@hawelti) July 21, 2018

In a joint declaration ending the state of war on July 9, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia and President Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea said, “A new era of peace and friendship has been opened.”

Mr. Abiy visited Eritrea’s capital, Asmara, this month, and Mr. Isaias returned the favor on July 14, taking a trip to the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

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