Boundary commission ruling hailed.

• Author: Rutsch, Horst
• Position: Peacewatch: Horn of Africa

Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the Security Council on 13 April welcomed the Boundary Commission's ruling on the border delimitation between Ethiopia and Eritrea, hailing it as a "final legal settlement' of the long-standing dispute between the two countries. Welcoming the decision as "an important milestone in the peace process", the Secretary-General lauded the parties for their "continued and consistent reaffirmation" that the ruling was final and binding, in accordance with the Algiers Peace Agreement of December 2000.

Calling on the parties to cooperate closely with the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) in the implementation of the decision, the Council stressed the need to ensure "an expeditious and orderly process for the benefit of all the people, and without unilateral actions." On 15 March, it extended the UNMEE mandate for six months, until 15 September Mr. Annan said he looked forward to the parties' close cooperation with UNMEE in the "crucial" period ahead. "The peoples of Eritrea and Ethiopia who have suffered greatly deserve no less."

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