Eritrea's president held talks with Vladimir Putin on 30 October, weeks after the US lifted sanctions on Asmara and amid sharp tensions with Ethiopia.
Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Friday 30 October, on the sidelines of the third Russia–Africa Summit, the Kremlin said.
Putin thanked Isaias for taking part in the summit and said the two leaders would discuss bilateral relations. According to the Kremlin's account, Isaias proposed that Russia draw up "a set of rules" for working with each African country and define programmes of cooperation in different fields. Sputnik Africa reported that Putin highlighted prospects in energy, mining, infrastructure, agriculture and fisheries, as well as support for Eritrea's food security. Putin also thanked Eritrea for backing Russian initiatives at the UN. The two leaders previously met in 2023.
Sovereignty and sanctions
In an interview with Sputnik Africa during the summit, Isaias said that "partnership cannot conceivably be nurtured" when sovereignty and territorial integrity are violated. This was according to excerpts shared by Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel and summarised by Mereja. Sputnik's Swahili service quoted him as calling unilateral sanctions "modern slavery". Eritrea's Ministry of Information said he argued that obstacles in the global financial system must be addressed first, or "discussions on trade, investment and economic cooperation would be meaningless".
Balancing between Washington and Moscow
The visit follows the US Treasury's removal, on 18 September, of sanctions on Eritrea's ruling People's Front for Democracy and Justice, the Eritrean Defence Forces and others, according to OFAC. Foreign Minister Osman Saleh then held talks with US officials in Washington at the start of October.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed also attended the summit and met Putin on 28 October. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said this week that Moscow was ready to mediate between Ethiopia and Eritrea if both wished. Neither government has publicly accepted, Mereja reported, citing BBC Amharic.
Relations between Asmara and Addis Ababa have collapsed. Eritrea cut diplomatic ties on 1 October after Ethiopia expelled its diplomats and accused it of backing the Tigrayan-led rebellion, which Eritrea denies. On 29 October Eritrea's Ministry of Information published an editorial listing documents that, it argues, show Ethiopia's recognition of Eritrea's borders and sovereignty.
No agreements from the Moscow meeting have been announced.
Photo: Vladimir Putin and Isaias Afwerki at the Kremlin, 31 May 2023. Presidential Executive Office of Russia, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.