Eritrea’s Afwerki to visit Djibouti soon-FM

Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki will soon visit Djibouti following thawing of relations among countries in the Horn of Africa.

Eritrean foreign affairs minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf told the Turkish news agency Anadolu Wednesday the Eritrean leader would be visiting Djibouti soon but did not state any timelines.

The two countries have maintained frosty relations following the dispute over the Dumeira Island and prisoners of war.

“We don’t have a date yet, but the two presidents will exchange visits soon,” Mahamoud Ali Youssouf said adding the September meeting by the two leaders in Jeddah September was a build up to restoration of diplomatic relations.

Djibouti urged the UN Security Council November to support in seeking arbitration with the International Court of Justice to determine the boundary between the two countries noting all options of dialogue had been exhausted.

Djibouti which has been missing from the ongoing détente among Somali, Ethiopian and Djibouti leaders has maintained disputes with Eritrea must be resolved first before any meaningful engagement.