Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir said that the signing of the Jeddah Peace Agreement between the two countries of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Eritrea in Jeddah today was the result of efforts exerted by all these countries and the efforts of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, the Crown Prince, Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Defense, which extended for many months, and there were mutual visits during which ways and means of reaching an agreement between the two neighboring countries were discussed. Al-Jubeir said during his press conference held with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the Foreign Ministry's branch in Jeddah today, "Due to the political courage of the leaders of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the leaders of the State of Eritrea, the two sides reached this historic solution, which we hope will contribute to the security and stability of the Red Sea, which will open the way for more cooperation, trade and investment from the whole world. The Foreign Minister welcomed the Secretary General of the UN and his attendance of the signing ceremony of the Jeddah Peace Agreement between the Republic of Ethiopia and the State of Eritrea concerning the resolution of the conflict that has lasted more than 20 years. He thanked the UN Secretary General for his visit to the Kingdom, noting that his meetings with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Royal Crown Prince were constructive. For his part, the Secretary General said in a speech he was very happy to be in Jeddah, where he had the opportunity to witness this historic moment, noting that the signing of the peace agreement between the President of the State of Eritrea and the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is indeed a significant historical event with a very important significance in our present world. We have witnessed an indefinitely prolonged conflict. Unfortunately, many conflicts multiply and last for long. He expressed his deep appreciation for the role played by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Government of Saudi Arabia to facilitate the agreement and contribute to the unity of the two parties. He also noted the courage, vision and wisdom of the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, who demonstrated the ability to overcome the enormous obstacles of the past and to open a new chapter in the history of his country and the manner in which the Head of State of Eritrea responded immediately to his peace initiatives. He pointed out that there is a window of hope overlooking the Horn of Africa. It is not only peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea, but it goes beyond that, wishing to see a general improvement of relations of the countries of the region. The Secretary General said that this window of hope is very important. Today, unfortunately, our world is witnessing a scarcity of such initiatives, once again expressing its gratitude and appreciation to the Government of Saudi Arabia for this opportunity to witness one of the most important moments in our journey to rebuild a peaceful environment in our troubled world.
