Eritrean leader lands in Russia on Putin’s invitation

May 31, 2023

By: BBC

Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki has landed in Moscow for a four-day official visit to Russia, at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin.

The Foreign and Culture Ministers are also on the trip, Information Minister Yemane Meskel says on Twitter.

Eritrea and Russia enjoy cordial relations, and Eritrea is one of the few countries that has voted against United Nations resolutions condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Isaias, who recently returned from an official visit to China, has ruled Eritrea since it won independence from neighboring Ethiopia in 1993.

President Isaias Afwerki and his delegation arrived at Moscow's Vunukova-2 Airport at 1:30 pm LT this afternoon and were accorded warm welcome by the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Rudenko Andrei. pic.twitter.com/1XwyywkVjj
— Yemane G. Meskel 🇪🇷 (@hawelti) May 30, 2023

The country, a one-party State and a highly militarised society, occupies a strategically important area in the Horn of Africa and has never held a national election.

Isaias was greeted at the airport on his arrival by Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Yemane tweeted.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who is currently on African tour that started in Kenya on Monday, visited Eritrea in January.