Report

Ethiopia and Eritrea- Preventing War

The fragile peace maintained by Ethiopia and Eritrea
since they signed a comprehensive agreement at Algiers
in December 2000 is fraying dangerously. With a costly
two-year war now followed by nearly five years of
stalemate, patience on both sides of the border has worn
thin, and there are worrying signs that the countdown to
renewed conflict may have begun. Neither side appears
eager for war, but to dismiss the tensions as mere sabrerattling
could mean missing the last chance to preserve
peace in the Horn of Africa. The two parties need help
urgently from the Algiers Group – the African Union
(AU), European Union (EU), UN and U.S. – who
witnessed the original accords. Its members need to work
together urgently to forge a “3-Ds” parallel process of
de-escalation, border demarcation and bilateral dialogue,
using both intensive diplomacy and the credible threat
(and employment as necessary) of punitive measures.