After five years of closure, the border crossing near Zalambessa between Ethiopia and Eritrea was reopened on Sunday, allowing families and communities long divided by conflict to reunite in an emotional and historic moment.

The border had remained shut since late 2020 when the war in Ethiopia’s Tigray region erupted, damaging relations between the two countries and separating communities that had long relied on each other for social ties and cross-border trade.

The closure followed a period of political tension and military build-up, with the once-vibrant link between Eritrea and Ethiopia cut off by conflict and mistrust.

Sunday’s reopening was not driven by government directives but by grassroots efforts.

According to the BBC, community elders and local organisers led the initiative, which they say received informal backing from both Tigrayan and Eritrean authorities.

Residents marked the occasion with chants of hope and unity, declaring, “Enough of the past, let's sit at the table of peace and build a better future.”

The resumption of movement has revived local commerce, with residents exchanging goods using both the Ethiopian birr and the Eritrean nakfa in newly active border markets.

However, the region is still grappling with the effects of war. Over 55,000 people displaced by the conflict remain in makeshift shelters in Adigrat, just 30 kilometres south of Zalambessa, depending on aid and family support to survive.

The return of cross-border ties has breathed life into the area, but Zalambessa's infrastructure is still in ruins.

Communication networks, banking systems, and basic services such as water, healthcare, and education are only slowly returning, mainly through support from local residents and external donors.

Zalambessa had been one of several crossing points reopened in 2018 after a peace deal between Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, a breakthrough that earned Abiy the Nobel Peace Prize.

That progress was short-lived, as the Tigray war halted relations and led to another shutdown of the border.

While Sunday’s development marks a major step towards healing, it is unclear whether it signals a broader political thaw between the two governments.

For now, the people on both sides of the border are celebrating a long-awaited reconnection — one driven from the ground up.