President begins 2-day State Visit to Eritrea

President Yoweri Museveni has arrived in Asmara for a 2-day State Visit at the invitation of President Isaias Afewerki of the State of Eritrea.

President Museveni, who is accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Janet Museveni, was received at Asmara International Airport, by his host President Afewerki.

Others at the airport to receive him included State Minister for Regional Affairs, Mr. Asuman Kiyingi and senior Eritrean government officials.

President Isaias Afewerki (left) welcoming President Museveni (in hat) and the First Lady Janet Museveni on arrival at Asmara International on Tuesday 29 May 2012. PPU photo

During his stay in the country, President Museveni and his host will, among other issues, witness the signing of the bilateral co-operation agreement that is aimed at promoting bilateral relations between the 2 countries in various fields as agreed upon during a State Visit to Uganda in August 2011 by President Afewerki.

Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda (left) and Isaias Afwerki at talks. Museveni was accompanied by the First Lady is on a 3 day state visit starting from 29/5/2012. PPU photo

Eritrea, which has a population of 5.9 million, is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered to the northeast and east by the Red Sea, to the west and northwest by Sudan, to the south by Ethiopia while Djibouti lies to its southeast.

Prior to the Italian colonization in 1885, what is now Eritrea had been ruled by various local and international powers that successively dominated the Red Sea Region. In 1896, Italian imperial powers used Eritrea as a springboard for Rome’s disastrous attempt to conquer Ethiopia.

Eritrea was placed under the British military administration after the Italian surrender in World War 2 and in 1952, a UN resolution federated Eritrea and Ethiopia.

Following a long history of skirmishes between Eritreans and Ethiopians, the people of Eritrea voted overwhelmingly, in a UN-monitored referendum on April 23rd to 25th 1993, for independence from Ethiopia. The Eritrean authorities thereafter, declared Eritrea an independent state on April 27th and the new country officially celebrated its independence on May 24th 1993.

ENDS