ADDIS ABABA, July 13 (Xinhua) -- As Ethiopia prepares to welcome the Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki who will arrive in Ethiopia on Saturday, the long-time Horn of African rivals have envisaged to further cement their ties through people-to-people relations following the recent positive developments in the political arena.
The Ethiopian government on Friday revealed that Afwerki will arrive in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa Saturday.
The news followed the announcement by the Eritrean National Football Federation (ENFF) accepting a request from the Ethiopian side to undertake a rare football contest with an Eritrean club.
"Your initiative and request for a friendly match between your team and an Eritrean team in Eritrean capital Asmara, really is a breakthrough that advocate the vision of the leadership of our sisterly countries as enshrined in the joint communiqué," the Eritrean National Football Federation revealed in a letter sent to the Ethiopian side on Thursday.
The Eritrean National Football Federation further said that "enormous gratitude is extended to the leadership of Eritrea and Ethiopia for their prudent and far-looking ability in resolving this deadlock."
A delegation led by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was in Eritrea last weekend, which marked the beginning of normalization of relations among the two arch-rivals since they fought a border war in the years between 1998 and 2000 which claimed the lives of an estimated 70,000 people from both sides.
The two countries as part of Ahmed's official visit to Eritrea had also signed a peace declaration that aimed to end mutual hostilities, settle border disputes and resume economic, political and diplomatic ties.
