This report examines the reasons behind the UN Security Council decision to close the United Nations Mission in Eritrea and Ethiopia in July 2008, before its completion and counter to the recommendation of the Secretary-General. There is no clear answer to this but a consistent narrative emerges of the mounting dilemmas and challenges that UNMEE faced. Understanding these challenges is highly relevant for the management of ongoing peacekeeping missions and the establishment of new missions.
UNMEE was established after the cessation of hostilities, following the border war between Eritrea and Ethiopia (1998–2000). As an interstate observer mission, monitoring a buffer zone, UNMEE had to manage the balancing act of maintaining both parties’ consent. However, UNMEE’s ability to deliver according to mandate gradually deteriorated due to factors internal and external to UNMEE. These included the non-political mission design and the numerous restrictions that were gradually imposed on UNMEE.
In unravelling the UNMEE story, this paper also takes up aspects perceived to be general policy dilemmas with regard to peacekeeping missions. These relate to the political role of peacekeeping missions and the ability to detect and manage the impact of deteriorating political consent. This paper thus argues that UNMEE’s lack of a political component and role, and its structural detachment from other instruments deemed central to the peace process, were detrimental not only to the mission and the perception of the UN, but also to the conflict, by shifting the focus from a comprehensive solution to the conflict and border issue.
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Full report available on the website of the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI)