United Nations Security Council Resolution 1398
Encyclopedia
United Nations
Security Council Resolution
1398, adopted unanimously on March 15, 2002, after reaffirming resolutions 1298
(1999), 1308
(2000), 1312
(2000), 1320
(2000), 1344
(2001) and 1369
(2001) on the situation between Eritrea
and Ethiopia
, the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea
(UNMEE) until September 15, 2002.
, including international humanitarian
, human rights
and refugee
law and ensure safety of all United Nations and humanitarian personnel. The Council reaffirmed its support of the Algiers Agreements
signed in 2000 between both parties. It recognised that the United Nations had played a supporting role in the peaceful settlement of the dispute.
. The implementation of the ruling of the Boundary Commission was emphasised, and the transfer of civil authority and territory had to take place in an orderly manner through dialogue. UNMEE would continue to operate its mandate until border demarcation was completed, and the Secretary-General Kofi Annan
was asked to make suggestions on how UNMEE could play a part in this process and in demining
.
Addressing the parties, the resolution called upon Eritrea to allow freedom of movement
to UNMEE personnel and disclose details about its militia
and police operating in the TSZ, while Ethiopia was requested to make clarifications on information it provided to the Mine Action Coordination Centre
. There was concern that an air corridor
had not been established between Asmara
and Addis Ababa
and both sides were urged to release prisoners of war
under the auspicies of the International Committee of the Red Cross
. Furthermore, the parties were asked to adopt confidence-building measures including by affording each other's nationals humane treatment; facilitate the return of refugees, internally displaced person
s and demobilised
soldiers; and facilitating dialogue and cross-border contacts.
The parties were urged to enable UNMEE to disseminate information about the delimitation and demarcation of the Eritrea-Ethiopia border and to focus on economic development and their diplomatic relations. Finally, all countries were asked to discourage arms flows to the region.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Security Council Resolution
United Nations Security Council Resolution
A United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security"....
1398, adopted unanimously on March 15, 2002, after reaffirming resolutions 1298
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1298
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1298, adopted unanimously on May 17, 2000, after reaffirming resolutions 1177 , 1226 , 1227 and 1297 on the situation between Eritrea and Ethiopia, the Council condemned continuing hostilities and imposed an arms embargo on both countries.The Security...
(1999), 1308
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1308
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1308, adopted unanimously on July 17, 2000, in the first resolution to address the impact of HIV/AIDS worldwide, the Council asked countries to consider voluntary HIV/AIDS testing and counselling for troops deployed in peacekeeping operations.Speaking...
(2000), 1312
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1312
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1312, adopted unanimously on July 31, 2000, after reaffirming resolutions 1298 on the situation between Eritrea and Ethiopia, and 1308 , the Council established the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea in anticipation of a peacekeeping...
(2000), 1320
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1320
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1320, adopted unanimously on September 15, 2000, after reaffirming resolutions 1298 , 1308 and 1312 on the situation between Eritrea and Ethiopia, and 1308 , the Council deployed a military component as part of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and...
(2000), 1344
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1344
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1344, adopted unanimously on March 15, 2001, after reaffirming resolutions 1298 , 1308 , 1312 and 1320 on the situation between Eritrea and Ethiopia, and 1308 , the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea until...
(2001) and 1369
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1369
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1369, adopted unanimously on September 14, 2001, after reaffirming resolutions 1298 , 1308 , 1312 , 1320 and 1344 on the situation between Eritrea and Ethiopia, the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea until...
(2001) on the situation between Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
and Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea
United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea
The United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea was established by the United Nations Security Council in July 2000 to monitor a ceasefire in the border war that began in 1998 between Ethiopia and Eritrea....
(UNMEE) until September 15, 2002.
Observation
From February 21-25, 2002, a mission of the Security Council had taken place to Ethiopia and Eritrea. Both parties had to fulfil their obligations under international lawInternational law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
, including international humanitarian
International humanitarian law
International humanitarian law , often referred to as the laws of war, the laws and customs of war or the law of armed conflict, is the legal corpus that comprises "the Geneva Conventions and the Hague Conventions, as well as subsequent treaties, case law, and customary international law." It...
, human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
and refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
law and ensure safety of all United Nations and humanitarian personnel. The Council reaffirmed its support of the Algiers Agreements
Algiers Agreement (2000)
The Algiers Agreement was an agreement between the governments of Eritrea and Ethiopia signed on December 12, 2000, at Algiers, Algeria to end the Eritrean-Ethiopian War, a border war fought by the two countries from 1998 to 2000...
signed in 2000 between both parties. It recognised that the United Nations had played a supporting role in the peaceful settlement of the dispute.
Acts
The Security Council welcomed an anticipated final legal settlement on the border issues between the two countries, and that the decision of the Boundary Commission would be final and binding. It commended both parties for progress made in implementing the Algiers Agreements and the observance of the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ), and the parties were further urged to co-operate with UNMEE in the course of its mandateMandate (international law)
In international law, a mandate is a binding obligation issued from an inter-governmental organization like the United Nations to a country which is bound to follow the instructions of the organization....
. The implementation of the ruling of the Boundary Commission was emphasised, and the transfer of civil authority and territory had to take place in an orderly manner through dialogue. UNMEE would continue to operate its mandate until border demarcation was completed, and the Secretary-General Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
was asked to make suggestions on how UNMEE could play a part in this process and in demining
Demining
Demining or mine clearance is the process of removing either land mines, or naval mines, from an area, while minesweeping describes the act of detecting of mines. There are two distinct types of mine detection and removal: military and humanitarian.Minesweepers use many tools in order to accomplish...
.
Addressing the parties, the resolution called upon Eritrea to allow freedom of movement
Freedom of movement
Freedom of movement, mobility rights or the right to travel is a human right concept that the constitutions of numerous states respect...
to UNMEE personnel and disclose details about its militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
and police operating in the TSZ, while Ethiopia was requested to make clarifications on information it provided to the Mine Action Coordination Centre
Mine Action Coordination Center
A Mine Action Coordination Centre is an agency established in a region under the auspices of the United Nations to coordinate the clearing of the explosive remnants of war - including landmines and unexploded ordnance...
. There was concern that an air corridor
Air corridor
An air corridor is a designated region of airspace that an aircraft must remain in during its transit through a given region. Air corridors are typically imposed by military or diplomatic requirements...
had not been established between Asmara
Asmara
Asmara is the capital city and largest settlement in Eritrea, home to a population of around 579,000 people...
and Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
and both sides were urged to release prisoners of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
under the auspicies of the International Committee of the Red Cross
International Committee of the Red Cross
The International Committee of the Red Cross is a private humanitarian institution based in Geneva, Switzerland. States parties to the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977 and 2005, have given the ICRC a mandate to protect the victims of international and...
. Furthermore, the parties were asked to adopt confidence-building measures including by affording each other's nationals humane treatment; facilitate the return of refugees, internally displaced person
Internally displaced person
An internally displaced person is someone who is forced to flee his or her home but who remains within his or her country's borders. They are often referred to as refugees, although they do not fall within the current legal definition of a refugee. At the end of 2006 it was estimated there were...
s and demobilised
Demobilization
Demobilization is the process of standing down a nation's armed forces from combat-ready status. This may be as a result of victory in war, or because a crisis has been peacefully resolved and military force will not be necessary...
soldiers; and facilitating dialogue and cross-border contacts.
The parties were urged to enable UNMEE to disseminate information about the delimitation and demarcation of the Eritrea-Ethiopia border and to focus on economic development and their diplomatic relations. Finally, all countries were asked to discourage arms flows to the region.
See also
- BadmeBadmeBadme is a town in the Horn of Africa and the focus of a territorial dispute between Eritrea and Ethiopia. It is claimed by both Eritrea, which considers Badme to be a part of Gash-Barka Zone, and Ethiopia, which considers Badme part of the Mirabawi Zone of the Tigray Region. This dispute was the...
- Eritrean–Ethiopian War
- List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1301 to 1400 (2000 – 2002)