Ethiopia launches first commercial flight to Eritrea in 20 years

The first Ethiopian Airlines flight in 20 years took off for the country's former enemy Eritrea on Wednesday, after the two neighbours signed a historic peace deal last week.

"An Ethiopian delegation consisting of 456 people from all walks of life" were on the flight, state-affiliated broadcaster FBC reported, adding that it included Ethiopian leader Hailemariam Desalegn and other officials, as well as Eritreans separated from their families.

Photos showed passengers enjoying celebratory champagne onboard the flight from Addis Ababa to Asmara.

"The bird of peace has just flown to #Asmara! #Familyreunion #Ethiopia #Eritrea," Ethiopian Airlines tweeted.

A diplomatic thaw - culminating in a peace agreement earlier this month - began between the two countries under new reformist Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who came to power this year.

Ethiopia announced it would fully accept the terms of a 2000 peace agreement that it had previously refused to honour, officially marking an end to a border war that claimed tens of thousands of lives between 1998 and 2000.

Eritrea was part of Ethiopia until 1993, when it declared independence after a referendum.