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United Nations Office in Ethiopia and Eritrea
Established 31 July 2000
Type Peacekeeping Mission
Legal status Completed
Website http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmee/index.html

The United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) was established by the United Nations Security Council in July 2000[1] to monitor a ceasefire in the border war that began in 1998 between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

The mission was formally abandoned in July 2008[2] after experiencing serious difficulties in sustaining its troops after fuel stoppages[3] and the consideration of remaining options.[4]

History[]

On July 31, 2000, the Security Council adopted Resolution 1312 established UNMEE. 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.[5]

The mission maintained headquarters in Asmara (Eritrea), and Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), and consisted of 1,676 military personnel, amid high tensions between the two countries. About 1,500 of these peacekeepers were from the Indian Army. In addition, there were about 147 international civilians, 202 local civilians and 67 UN Volunteers. Their area of responsibility was a buffer zone 25 kilometers (15 miles) wide on the Eritrean side of the Ethiopian-Eritrean border. 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 was $118.99 million.[citation needed]

The border between Ethiopia and Eritrea has remained 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 also restricted 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.[6] Eritrea has tried to allay fears over a new war.[7]

Staff 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 (Flag of Tunisia Tunisia)
  • Deputy Special Representatives:
  • Force Commander: Major-General Mohammad Taisir Masadeh (Flag of Jordan Jordan)

Contributors of military personnel:

Africa

  • Flag of Algeria Algeria
  • Flag of The Gambia Gambia
  • Flag of Ghana Ghana

  • Flag of Kenya Kenya
  • Flag of Namibia Namibia
  • Nigeria Nigeria
  • South Africa South Africa

  • Flag of Tanzania Tanzania
  • Flag of Tunisia Tunisia
  • Flag of Zambia Zambia

Americas

  • Flag of Canada Canada
  • Flag of Bolivia Bolivia
  • Flag of Brazil Brazil

  • Flag of Guatemala Guatemala
  • Flag of Paraguay Paraguay
  • Flag of Peru Peru

Asia

  • Flag of Bangladesh Bangladesh
  • Flag of the People's Republic of China China
  • Flag of India India

  • Flag of Jordan Jordan
  • Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan
  • Malaysia Malaysia
  • Flag of Nepal   Nepal

  • Flag of Pakistan Pakistan
  • Sri Lanka Sri Lanka

Europe

  • Flag of Austria Austria
  • Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Flag of Bulgaria Bulgaria
  • Flag of Croatia Croatia
  • Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic
  • Flag of Denmark Denmark

  • Flag of Finland Finland
  • Flag of France France
  • Flag of Germany Germany
  • Flag of Greece Greece
  • Flag of Ireland Ireland
  • Flag of Italy Italy
  • Flag of Norway Norway

  • Flag of Poland Poland
  • Flag of Romania Romania
  • Flag of Russia Russia
  • Flag of Spain Spain
  • Flag of Sweden Sweden
  • Flag of Ukraine Ukraine

References[]

See also[]

External links[]

All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea and the edit history here.
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