Another border crossing between Ethiopia and Eritrea has been opened for travellers and businesspeople as reconciliation between the two Horn of Africa countries continues, all part of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s attempts to build peace with his neighbours and broaden democracy at home.

The State-owned Ethiopia Broadcasting Corporation reported that Ahmed and the Eritrean President attended the Monday reopening of the border crossing between Humera in Ethiopia, and Oum Hajer in Eritrea, a further sign of the two former foes working to bury the hatchet after 20 years of closed borders which followed years of bloody border conflict between the neighbours.

The Humera-Oum Hajer border on the western side of the both countries was not the first border crossing to be reopened. In September two land crossings were opened after Ahmed settled a long-standing border dispute and agreed to adhere to a United Nations ruling on the matter.

For unknown reasons, major crossings between Bure-Debay Sima in the east and Zalambessa-Serha in the west were closed again last month.

However, despite the closing of the crossing in the west, relations between the neighbours continues to improve with the normalisation allowing the free movement of people and goods.

After taking office last year Ahmed freed many political prisoners and unbanned a rebel opposition group as part of his peace endeavours.