United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) - ADDITION

International Information

International Operation Name: United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea

International Mission Name: United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE)

Mandating Organization: United Nations

Region Name: Africa

Location: Ethiopia and Eritrea

Mission Date: 12 December 2000 - 31 July 2008

Mission Mandate: United Nations Security Council Resolution 1312, 31 July 2000; United Nations Security Council Resolution 1320, 15 September 2000

To monitor the UN-established Temporary Security Zone between Ethiopia and Eritrea, and verify the redeployment of Ethiopian forces in Eritrea from positions taken after 06 February 99 which were not under that country's control in May 1998.

On 18 June 2000, after two years of continuous fighting in a border dispute, the African nations of Ethiopia and Eritrea signed a cessation of hostilities agreement following talks led by Algeria and the Organization of African Unity. Included in the agreement was the acceptance by both sides of a Temporary Security Zone to be monitored by United Nations Military Observers (UNMO’s), and patrolled by an impartial UN peacekeeping force. The UN requested that the peacekeepers be provided by the Standby Forces High-Readiness Brigade (SHIRBRIG), a pre-established United Nations multinational military force created in 1996 (a Danish initiative) to provide troops at the start of UN peacekeeping missions for a period of no more than six months.

In July, the Security Council set up the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) which consisted of 200 military observers and approximately 4,200 peacekeepers, to maintain liaison with the parties and establish a mechanism for verifying the ceasefire.

Canadian Forces (CF) Information (ADDITION)

Name: ADDITION

Date: 3 November 2000 - 12 July 2003

CF Mission/Operation Notes: As part of SHIRBRIG, Canada had been tasked to provide military observers and a mechanized infantry company to the Dutch-led peacekeeping effort.

Under the designation Op ADDITION, Canada provided up to 6 UNMO’s on a rotational basis for the UN effort. Based in Asmara, Eritrea, the operation consisted of four 8-month rotations of 6 officers each, beginning on 03 November 2000 and running until 12 July 2003. On each rotation the senior Canadian officer acted as UNMEE’s Chief Operations Officer.

The primary task of the UNMO’s was to confirm that both sides were sincere in their desire to stop the fighting and accept the presence of a UN peacekeeping contingent, as well as liaising with locals in the region to gain information and assess humanitarian needs.

Op ADDITION marked the first use by the CF of its newly formed Theatre Activation Team (TAT) concept. Based out of CFB Kingston, Ontario, the TAT assisted in establishing the military and diplomatic groundwork between the UN, Ethiopian, and Eritrean representatives in Asmara. The team included an advance party of engineering troops who began arriving in country on 5 December 2000,to prepare the Canadian camps for the upcoming deployment of Canadian peacekeepers to the region.