Ethiopia - Eritrea: Joint declaration of peace

Eritrea and Ethiopia have signed a "Joint Declaration of Peace and Friendship", bringing, we hope, an end to the decades-old border dispute between the two countries.

The "neighbours" agreed to open embassies and to allow their airlines and ports to operate freely.

The two countries are no ordinary neighbours as they have a rich history, a shared culture and religion and even shared memory in trauma. 

Eritrea voted for independence in 1993 and its separation left Ethipioa landlocked, because Eitrea spanned the country's entire Red Sea coast.

This situation soon brought the two nations at war over demarcation of their shared border.

The conflict killed close to 75,000 people on both sides, and although there was the Algiers agreement, tensions between the two countries have always simmered.

Yemane Meskel - Eritrea's Minister of Information posted on tweet that "the Joint Declaration states, inter alia, i) State of war that existed between the two countries has come to an end. A new era of peace & friendship has been ushered; ii) Both countries will work to promote close cooperation in political, economic, social, cultural & security areas."

Some in the Ethiopian ruling coalition are skeptikal on the move. Yet, the leaders of both countries ( Ethiopia's Prime Minister Ayib Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki) seem ready to find a path toward peace.