Kenyatta Visits Ethiopia, Eritrea, Joins Horn of Africa Club

Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed and Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta on Sunday arrived in Asmara, the capital city of Eritrea.

Upon arrival at Asmara, the two leaders were received by President Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea.

“Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed arrived on separate flights in mid-morning hours today in Asmara,” said Yemane Gebremeskel, Eritrea’s Minister of Information. “The two leaders were accorded warm welcome on arrival by President Isaias Afewerki at Asmara International Airport.”

Three leaders are expected to hold tripartite talks on based on three broad areas.

The tripartite discussions will focus on regional economic integration, strengthening peace and security in the region.

Yemane Gebremeskel, Eritrea’s Minister of Information who spoke to media said bilateral matters will also feature in separate meetings between the leaders.

“The three leaders will discuss timely regional issues in a Tripartite Summit today while bilateral matters will also feature in separate meetings,” he stated.

This will be the first visit to Eritrea by President Uhuru Kenyatta since Ethiopia and Eritrea signed a deal to bury hatchet last year for the first time since 1993.

Over the last few months, the horn of Africa region has seen negotiations and reconciliation and the start of processes of normalization between Eritrea and Djibouti as well as Eritrea and Somalia.

The restoration of peace between and among the members of the region is already providing for the possibility of extended economic integration and a wider political response.

In another related news, Ethiopia and Kenya have jointly agreed to establish a free trade zone between the countries following the two-day summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The leaders of the two countries have inked an agreement to implement joint infrastructure projects as critical enablers of the two economies.

Before the deal, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed had the opening of a two-day trade and investment forum which gathered nearly 500 business leaders, investors and officials from both countries.

The primary purpose of the forum is to explore ways and means of strengthening the existing trade and economic relations.

Speaking at the event, President Uhuru said that the mega-regional initiative, the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor (Lapsset), is central to the unlocking of the economic potential of the entire East African region.

The Lapsset project includes the building of railway, electricity, roads and the Lamu Port.

Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed said that over the past years his country had taken significant steps in enhancing bilateral relations in the fields of cross-border trade, infrastructure and energy development.

“We plan to transform the Moyle region [border region] to a commonly administered economic hub of East Africa,” he said.

The completion of the Lamu transport corridor, which connects Kenya, South Sudan and Ethiopia would be vital economic progress, Ahmed noted.

The two leaders called for the fast-tracking of the ongoing transformation of Moyale town into a cross-border trade hub in the region in line with the 2012 Special Status Agreement (SSA).

“Our strengthened collaboration in cross-border trade and investment is crucial for the overall development. In light of this, we need to accelerate plans to transform the Moyale Region into a commonly administrated economic hub of East Africa,” Dr Abiy said.