Ethiopia & Eritrea
UN authorizes 4200 troops for Ethiopia-Eritrea peacekeeping force

afrol.com, 15 September - The UN Security Council today authorized the deployment of 4200 troops for the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), with an initial six-month mandate to carry out a range of verification tasks, including monitoring the ceasefire between the two countries.

Unanimously adopting the resolution, the Council expanded not only the size but also the mandate of UNMEE, which was originally established at the end of July with a strength of 100 military observers.

The newly authorized troops will be responsible for helping to ensure that the parties adhere to their security commitments. In a simultaneous effort, the Mission will monitor the redeployment of troops from both sides. Ethiopian troops will be redeployed from positions taken after 6 February 1999 which were not under Ethiopian administration before 6 May 1998, while Eritrean forces will redeploy in order to remain a distance of 25 kilometers from the position of the redeployed Ethiopian troops.

Also as part of its mandate, the Mission will monitor the temporary security zone, and provide technical assistance to mine action activities there and in adjacent areas, where it will also coordinate with the humanitarian and human rights work of others.

Today's resolution called on the parties to continue negotiations and to conclude without delay a "comprehensive and final" peace settlement. An official with the UN's Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Louise Laheurte, told the UN News Service that while UNMEE was in some ways a traditional peacekeeping operation, "it does remain in a very political context because the successful conduct of the Mission and fulfillment of its mandate in due course is dependent on further negotiations between the parties under the auspices of the Organization of African Unity which are aimed at reaching a comprehensive settlement of their border dispute."

Calling on the parties to take "whatever action may be necessary to ensure UNMEE's access, safety and freedom of movement," the Council urged them to proceed immediately with demining in order to ensure safe access of UN and associated personnel.

Yesterday, the United Nations began deploying the first of 46 military observers as part of its Mission to Eritrea and Ethiopia. The UN Mission confirmed the arrivals of seven military observers - four in Asmara, the Eritrean capital, and three others in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. UN military liaison offices were established at the outset of the mission in both Addis Ababa and Asmara following the decision by the Security Council to establish the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea, consisting of up to 100 military observers.

Source: UN

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