United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea

Infobox UN
name = United Nations Office in Ethiopia and Eritrea

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caption = UN soldiers in Eritrea. Photo by Dawit Rezenè
type = Peacekeeping Mission
acronyms = UNMEE
head = Azouz Ennifar
status = Completed
established = 31 July 2000
website = http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmee/index.html
parent = United Nations Security Council
subsidiaries =
commons =
footnotes =

The United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) was established in July 2000UN document |docid=S-RES-1312(2000) |type=Resolution |body=Security Council |year=2000 |resolution_number=1312 |accessdate=2008-04-13|date=31 July 2000] to monitor a ceasefire in the border war that began in 1998 between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

The mission was formally abandoned in July 2008UN document |docid=S-RES-1827(2008) |type=Resolution |body=Security Council |year=2008 |resolution_number=1827 |accessdate=2008-08-17|date=30 July 2008] after experiencing serious difficulties in sustaining its troops after fuel stoppagesUN document |docid=S-2008-145 |type=Document |body=Security Council |year=2008 |document_number=145 |accessdate=2008-08-17|title=Special report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea|date=3 March 2008] and the consideration of remaining options.UN document |docid=S-2008-226 |type=Document |body=Security Council |year=2008 |document_number=226 |accessdate=2008-08-17|title=Special report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea|date=7 April 2008]

History

The mission was in place in order to formally mark the border between the two countries. The border followed the route as declared by an international commission in The Hague but Ethiopia refused to accept the ruling, despite originally agreeing to binding arbitration.Fact|date=August 2008

The mission has its headquarters in Asmara (Eritrea), and Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), and remains in place, with 1,676 military personnel, whilst tensions between the two countries remain high. About 1,500 of these peacekeepers are from the Indian Army. In addition, there are about 147 international civilians, 202 local civilians and 67 UN Volunteers. Their area of responsibility is a buffer zone 25 kilometers (15 miles) wide on the Eritrean side of the Ethiopian-Eritrean border. So far, there have been recorded 20 fatalities: 13 military personnel, 3 international civilian personnel and 4 local civilian personnel. The approved budget for the mission between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2008 is of $118.99 million.Fact|date=August 2008

The border between Ethiopia and Eritrea remains closed and thousands of people live in refugee camps while perhaps a million people remain displaced. In October 2005, the Eritrean government restricted UNMEE helicopter flights along the border and demanded the reduction of the UNMEE force by 300 staffers. Eritrea is also restricting movement of ground patrols inside the buffer zone. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1640 in November 2005 threatened sanctions on both parties if there was no resolution.

The mission was ended per 31 July 2008 with a UNSC resolution adopted on 30 July 2008. Peacekeepers had been driven from the border zone by Eritrea by February 2008, and Ethiopia had refused to accept a binding International Court of Justice ruling on the border issue; there are fears that this may set a precedent to show that a country can force out UN peacekeepers. Analysts also fear a new war may erupt between Ethiopia and Eritrea over the border. [http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5g8zhQBHg9NbA1Idm0nUHowoFZgNg] Eritrea has tried to allay fears over a new war. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7534623.stm]

taff and forces

On 30 November 2007, UNMEE had a total of 1,676 military personnel, including 1,464 troops and 212 military observers, supported by 147 international civilians, 202 local civilians and 67 UN Volunteers.
*Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of Mission:Azouz Ennifar (TUN)
*Deputy Special Representatives:
*Force Commander: Major-General Mohammad Taisir Masadeh (JOR)

Contributors of military personnel:;Africa
*ALG
*GAM
*GHA
*KEN
*NAM
*flagicon|Nigeria Nigeria
*flagicon|South Africa South Africa
*TAN
*TUN
*ZAM

;Americas
*BOL
*BRA
*GUA
*PAR
*PER
*USA
*URU

;Asia
*BAN
*CHN
*IND
*JOR
*flagicon|Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan
*flagicon|Malaysia Malaysia
*NEP
*PAK
*RUS
*flagicon|Sri Lanka Sri Lanka

;Europe
*AUT
*BIH
*BUL
*CRO
*CZE
*DEN
*FIN
*FRA
*GER
*GRE
*IRL
*NOR
*POL
*ROM
*ESP
*SWE
*UKR

References

ee also

* Eritrean-Ethiopian War

External links

* [http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmee/index.html UN UNMEE mission page]
* [http://www.unmeeonline.org/ Mission homepage]