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Eritrea Reopens African Union Mission

   Peter Heinlein  19 January 2011
   A  handout  file  photo  released  by the African Union in Addis Ababa
   shows the AU flag

Photo: AFP

   A  handout  file  photo  released  by the African Union in Addis Ababa
   shows the AU flag

   Eritrea has reopened its mission to the African Union, ending years of
   self-imposed  exile  from  the continental organization. But diplomats
   say  the  move does not signal a thaw in relations between Eritrea and
   its archrival, the African Union host Ethiopia.
   Eritreaâs  ambassador  to  the  African  Union  Girma  Asmerom  Tesfay
   presented  credentials  this week to AU Commission Chairman Jean Ping.
   An  AU  statement said Ping expressed delight at seeing Eritrea return
   to the 53-member organization after several yearsâ absence.
   Eritrea  recalled  its previous ambassador in an angry protest at what
   it  called the African Unionâs âfailureâ to condemn Ethiopiaâs alleged
   violations of a peace agreement that ended a 1998-2000 border war. The
   continental body was one of the main brokers of the agreement.
   Eritrea  broke  away  from  Ethiopia and declared independence in 1993
   after a 30-year struggle. But a border dispute sent the neighbors back
   to war five years later, and relations have been frozen since.
   At  Ethiopiaâs  urging,  the AU took the unprecedented step in 2009 of
   asking  the  United  Nations  to penalize Eritrea for providing aid to
   Islamic  fighters  in Somalia. Despite Eritreaâs strong denial, the UN
   Security  Council  imposed  tough  sanctions on the Asmara government,
   including an arms embargo, asset freezes and travel bans.
   AU Chairman Ping last year rejected Eritrean allegations that Ethiopia
   was  using its position as AU host to block Eritrea from reopening its
   mission  in  Addis  Ababa. Diplomats say Ping has worked tirelessly to
   bring the estranged member back into the fold.
   Ethiopiaâs  foreign  ministry has strongly denied any attempt to block
   Eritreaâs  return.  But  in  a telephone interview, ministry spokesman
   Dina  Mufti said the re-establishment of Asmaraâs AU mission will have
   no effect on the frozen bilateral relationship.
   "It  has  nothing to do with the situation. We are the host country of
   the African Union," said Mufti. "We are under obligation to facilitate
   anything for the African Union. That has nothing to do with the status
   quo."
   The  Ethiopian  spokesman rejected a suggestion that the arrival of an
   Eritrean government representative in Addis Ababa might be a sign of a
   thaw. He said there has been no change in the status quo.
   Eritrea  sent  a  high-level observer delegation to the most recent AU
   summit  in  Kampala  last  July  as  a sign of its renewed interest in
   continental  affairs.  There  was  no  immediate  word  on  who  might
   represent  the  Asmara  government  at  the  next  continental  summit
   beginning later this month in Addis Ababa.

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