The United States is encouraged by recent progress Ethiopia and Eritrea have made towards resolving longstanding differences, the US State Department said.
The two African countries waged a border war from 1998-2000 that killed tens of thousands. Disputes over the still-militarised frontier in particular Badme, kept the two sides at loggerheads.
On Wednesday, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki raised hopes of a breakthrough describing recent peace overtures from Ethiopia as “positive signals.”
He was responding to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s earlier pledge to honour all terms of a 2000 peace deal, include ceding Badme to Eritrea.
Isaias said he was sending a delegation to Addis Ababa to understand Abiy’s position and “chart out a plan.”
Isaias and Abiy “demonstrated courageous leadership by taking these steps towards peace,” the State Department said in a statement.
“The United States looks forward to full normalisation of relations and the realisation of our shared aspirations for both countries to enjoy enduring peace and development,” it said.
