Annan calls for adjusting UNMEE mandate

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called for adjusting the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission in Eritrea and Ethiopia so that it can help in implementing the recent ruling on the border between the two countries.

In his latest report to the Security Council, Annan said the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) could help with the "expeditious and orderly" implementation of the decision, issued on 13 April by an independent Boundary Commission based in The Hague.

This would entail mine clearance, agreeing with the parties on technical modalities for transferring territorial control, and providing administrative and logistical support to the Boundary Commission.

Annan's comments were echoed by his Special Representative Legwaila Joseph Legwaila. “We are here on the ground and we have proven that we can do it,” Legwaila told a video-linked press briefing in Asmara and Addis Ababa on Friday.

“We have the human resources to do demining, if anything we have to get money to do that and the international community seems to be very keen to finance demining for demarcation as well as
demarcation itself,” he said.

He added that time pressures also meant that using UNMEE deminers would save time, rather than hiring private companies to carry out the work.

Legwaila said the length of time required for demining the border area for demarcation would depend on the number of mines in the region.

“We have been requested to do one simple thing, that is to demine the fifty square metres where the pillars will be planted and access roads," he said. “Humanitarian demining is done by the parties themselves, it is not our responsibility.”