United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea

The United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) was established after the signature of the Agreement on the Cessation of Hostilities Between the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Government of the State of Eritrea, which took place in Algiers on June 2000 under the auspices of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in the presence of representatives from the European Union and the United States.

One of the main points of the Agreement was the establishment of a 25 km wide buffer zone within Eritrean territory bordering with Ethiopia where UN peacekeeping forces would be deployed until UN cartographers demarcated the borders. This peace force would also supervise the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from Eritrean territory occupied in the final months of the conflict and which was not under Ethiopian administration before May 1998.

The UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1312 (2000) on 31 July 2000 and established UNMEE subject to future authorisation. Its initial mandate ran until 15 March 2001.

UNMEE was carried out in three stages. In the first, liaison officers were deployed to the capitals of the two countries involved: Addis Ababa and Asmara.

The second stage would involve up to 100 military observers and the necessary civilian support staff. Their mandate would be to establish and implement the mechanisms to monitor and verify the cessation of hostilities as well as to make appropriate arrangements to establish a Military Coordination Commission.

The third stage would involve full deployment of the peacekeeping operation, with an anticipated military force of up to 4,200 troops including 220 observers, three infantry battalions and the support units required.

Spain participated in UNMEE with five military officers: four captains and a second lieutenant.