MCC meeting held in Djibouti

The ninth meeting of the Military Coordination Commission (MCC) was held on Monday in Djibouti, a United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday. Among other issues the MCC, comprising representatives of the Ethiopian and Eritrean armed forces, the Organisation of African Unity and UNMEE, discussed the challenges it had faced on the ground in carrying out its mandate. Freedom of movement was foremost among the challenges UNMEE has experienced, the statement said, citing in particular the problems UNMEE faces in monitoring the positions of the Eritrean defence forces. The commission also discussed the return of the remaining internally displaced persons and the numbers of Eritrean militia and police inside the Temporary Security Zone. The meeting was chaired by UNMEE Force Commander Maj-Gen Patrick Cammaert, and reportedly took place in a cordial and constructive atmosphere. The participants agreed that the next MCC meeting should take place at the Mereb river bridge on 28 November.