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Amid the global crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Eritrea’s President Isaias Afeworki made an unexpected official visit to Ethiopia last week, becoming the first head of state to travel abroad during these critical days.
Accompanied by Foreign Minister Osman Saleh and Presidential adviser Yemane Ghebreab, the Eritrean president arrived at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport last Sunday and was cordially received by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
At a time when world leaders decide to hold virtual meetings, Afeworki’s decision to meet with Prime Minister Ahmed in person has raised eyebrows.
In addition, his trip to Ethiopia breaks the current rules of social distancing at the international level.
The two leaders are said to have held discussions on the global threat of Covid-19 and on the desert locust invasion that has posed a major threat to regional food security.
So why did you choose to physically meet on topics that you could discuss over the phone or via a video link?
Eritrean political analysts postulate that the reason for the trip went beyond the publicly announced problems.
“They are said to have met to discuss Covid-19, but Eritrea has already refused to receive Chinese-donated medical supplies [philanthropist] Jack Ma So how are you expected to discuss this issue? This relationship is disturbing for me, ”Eritrean human rights activist Desbele Mehari told BBC Amharic.
He criticized Mr. Afeworki’s trip to Ethiopia as “a historical mistake”.
President Afeworki was recently quoted by local media as saying that the coronavirus outbreak “should not deter us from continuing to participate in our other regional focus.”
But critics say leaders should focus on preventing the spread of the virus.
“This is not a time for leaders to play political games,” said Haile Hagos, another Eritrean political analyst and human rights activist who strongly criticized the leaders’ meeting.
During their two-day visit, Afeworki and the Ethiopian Prime Minister also launched an irrigation project located outside the capital in the regional state of Oromia.
“I don’t see the urgency of launching projects abroad while there are urgent health problems that need to be addressed at home,” said Mr. Hagos.
“While the country is under closure, the president’s trips to Ethiopia with the intention of creating other political agendas will hold him historically responsible,” he added.
Last month, social media was filled with speculation about the Eritrean leader’s health after he did not appear in public for several weeks. The trip to Addis Ababa may have been in part intended to remove any notion about his health. But ironically, you may have risked it.
“After the latest episode of heightened rumors, President Afeworki may have wanted to make a strong statement that he was not only in good health, but still maintains positive relationships with Abiy and remains active in regional diplomacy,” William Davison, International El Crisis Group (ICG) senior analyst for Ethiopia told The Nation.
President Afeworki’s visit was also intended to discuss the implementation of comprehensive cooperation agreements that the two neighbors previously signed.
“There is much to discuss between the two leaders regarding standardization between the two countries, whether it be about establishing a bilateral trade regime or advancing joint infrastructure projects, as well as the pandemic and locust outbreak,” William Davison said.
In addition, there is the refugee problem after Ethiopia automatically stopped granting asylum status to Eritreans and closed a camp in the Tigray region.
“Although Isaias presumably approves of that, it has further increased tensions between the rulers of Tigray and the federal government of Ethiopia, as the northern region of Ethiopia complained that it was not consulted,” Davison added.
According to Mr. Davison, the two leaders may also have wanted to discuss the evolution of Sudan’s transition, the latest stalemate between Ethiopia and Egypt over the Ethiopian Great Renaissance Dam and events in Somalia.
The relationship between Ethiopia and Eritrea is not yet fully institutionalized and there is a high probability of a tête-à-tête meeting between the two leaders who may have lived up to international norms of social distancing.
