The first flight from Ethiopia to Eritrea safely landed in the capital Asmara on Wednesday, the first of its kind in 20 years and disembarked the 315 passengers on board, who were greeted by jubilant dancers dressed in traditional attire, waving flags and flowers, sealing the reconciliatory efforts by both heads of state of the Horn of Africa countries to put their animosity behind them for the sake of regional stability and prosperity.

Chief Executive of Ethiopian Airlines, Tewolde GebreMariam announced on the intercom as the flight crossed into Eritrean airspace ”This is the first time that this is happening in twenty years,” he said, to the applause of both passengers and crew aboard to plane.

Neba Benson,

BaretaNews Foreign Correspondent/Analyst