Abu Dhabi — The United Arab Emirates (UAE) hailed the leaders of Ethiopia and Eritrea on Tuesday for reaching a landmark peace deal as the two met in the UAE capital. The UAE has close ties with the East African neighbours and, along with Gulf powerhouse Saudi Arabia, helped broker the historic rapprochement that ended decades of enmity. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan called the peace agreement a "bold and historic step" that opens "new horizons for co-operation and joint co-ordination". The move would help "enhance security and stability in the Horn of Africa and the wider region", Sheikh Mohammed wrote on Twitter, after awarding Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki the UAE’s highest civil order. Recent rivals Ethiopia and Eritrea signed an agreement in Asmara on July 9 to restore ties, ending decades of conflict. Eritrea was once part of Ethiopia and comprised its entire coastline on the Red Sea until it voted for in...
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