General information
Part of Conflict: Eritrea - Ethiopia
Date of first stated goals of incompatibility: 1998-05-06
Comment on date of first stated goal of incompatibility: The border between Eritrea and Ethiopia had been an issue since Eritrea declared independence in 1993, since the border was never fully demarcated. On 16 August 1997 the Eritrean president wrote a letter to the Ethiopian president about the border situation, claiming that Ethiopia had occupied Eritrean territory. Both sides would then appoint committees to look into the problem and meet for discussions. Hence, there was an incompatibility long before the conflict actually broke out, but there were never any threats about using armed force to solve the dispute. The incident on 6 May 1998 then marked a clear change of policy since the parties suddenly chose, forced or not, to claim their right through violent means.
Date of first use of armed force: 1998-05-06
Comment on date of first use of armed force: On 6 May 1998 the conflict broke out between Eritrea and Ethiopia, when Ethiopian militiamen fired at an Eritrean patrol they considered intruding on Ethiopian territory.
First Battle Related Death: 1998-05-06
Comment on First Battle Related Death: When the conflict broke out on the border four Eritrean patrol were killed.
Date when dyad reached 25 battle releated deaths: 1998-05-31
Comment on date when dyad reached 25 battle related deaths: On 31 May forces from the two countries clashed at Alitena, some 50 km (30 miles) from the main border town of Adigrat. Eritrea suffered considerable causalities and the reported death toll from the fighting was around 100.
Conflict issues
Annual information
This section contains annual information systematically collected by the UCDP.
1998
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 1980 |
| Best | 1000 |
| Low | 218 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Eritrea): n/a
Side B (Government of Ethiopia): n/a
1999
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 47192 |
| Best | 47192 |
| Low | 47192 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Eritrea): n/a
Side B (Government of Ethiopia): n/a
2000
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 50000 |
| Best | 50000 |
| Low | 50000 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Eritrea): n/a
Side B (Government of Ethiopia): n/a
Peace agreements
Name of peace agreement: Agreement on cessation of hostilities between the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Government of the State of Eritrea
Date when warring parties signed the agreement: 2000-06-18
Comment of peace agreement: Partial peace agreement
This agreement, resulting from the Proximity Talks hosted by the OAU in Algiers, commits the parties to a cessation of hostilities and respect for deployment of a peacekeeping mission.
With regard to the incompatibility, the agreement is part of the process to delineate a shared border.
Signatories: Ethiopia: Seyoum Mesfin, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Eritrea: Haile Weldensae
Comment of signatories: Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in Algiers, Algeria on 18 June 2000.
Third parties: Algeria, OAU, USA, EU
Full-text peace agreement
Name of peace agreement: Agreement between the Government of the State of Eritrea and the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (Algiers accord)
Date when warring parties signed the agreement: 2000-12-12
Comment of peace agreement: Partial peace agreement
Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to permanently terminate all military hostilities. They reaffirmed the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities from 18 June 2000.
The peace agreement established a neutral Boundary Commission to mark the 620-mile border. Each party would appoint two neutral commissioners. The parties agreed that the delimitation and demarcation by the Commission would be final and binding. The agreement also established a Claims Commission.
The parties decided to investigate the origins of the conflict. The agreement also provided for exchange of prisoners and the return of displaced people.
Signatories: Eritrean President Isayas Afewerki and Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, OAU Secretary-General Salim Ahmed Salim, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and a EU representative, Rino Serri, signed the agreement as witnesses.
Comment of signatories: Comprehensive peace agreement
The peace agreement was signed in Algiers, Algeria on 12 December 2000, in the presence of several third parties.
Third parties: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, OAU Secretary-General Salim Ahmed Salim, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and a EU representative, Rino Serri, signed the agreement as witnesses. Furthermore, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, Togolese President and OAU chairman Gnassingbe Eyedema, US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and US President Clintons envoy, Anthony Lake, attended the signing.
Full-text peace agreement
2001
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Eritrea): n/a
Side B (Government of Ethiopia): n/a
2002
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Eritrea): n/a
Side B (Government of Ethiopia): n/a
2003
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Eritrea): n/a
Side B (Government of Ethiopia): n/a
2004
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Eritrea): n/a
Side B (Government of Ethiopia): n/a
2005
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Eritrea): n/a
Side B (Government of Ethiopia): n/a
2006
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Eritrea): n/a
Side B (Government of Ethiopia): n/a
2007
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Eritrea): n/a
Side B (Government of Ethiopia): n/a
2008
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Eritrea): n/a
Side B (Government of Ethiopia): n/a
2009
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Eritrea): n/a
Side B (Government of Ethiopia): n/a
2010
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Eritrea): n/a
Side B (Government of Ethiopia): n/a
2016
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 200 |
| Best | 25 |
| Low | 25 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Eritrea): n/a
Side B (Government of Ethiopia): n/a
2017
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Eritrea): n/a
Side B (Government of Ethiopia): n/a
2018
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Eritrea): n/a
Side B (Government of Ethiopia): n/a
Peace agreements
Name of peace agreement: Joint Declaration of Peace and Friendship between Eritrea and Ethiopia
Date when warring parties signed the agreement: 2018-07-09
Comment of peace agreement: Full Peace agreement
Ethiopia and Eritrea agreed to end the state of war between the countries.
Regarding the incompatibility the parties agreed that the decision on the boundary between the two countries would be implemented.
The two governments would endeavor to forge intimate political, economic, social, cultural and security cooperation. Transport and communication links would be resumed and diplomatic ties restarted.
Signatories: Eritrean President Isayas Afewerki and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali.
Comment of signatories: Comprehensive peace agreement
The peace agreement was signed in Asmara, Eritrea, on 9 July 2018.
Full-text peace agreement
Name of peace agreement: Agreement on Peace, Friendship and Comprehensive Cooperation between Eritrea and Ethiopia
Date when warring parties signed the agreement: 2018-09-16
Comment of peace agreement: Full peace agreement
The Agreement on Peace, Friendship and Comprehensive Cooperation between Eritrea and Ethiopia, also known as the Jeddah Peace Agreement, was signed between Eritrean President Isayas Afewerki and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 16 September 2018.
Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to end the state of war between the two countries.
The parties agreed to regulate their territorial incompatibility by adhering to a previous territorial arbitration decision from the 2002 Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission, resolving their boundary dispute.
The parties also agreed to develop Joint Investment Projects, and to cooperate in the political, security, defense, economic, trade, investment, cultural and social fields. They also agreed to establish a High-Level Joint Committee, as well as Sub-committees as required, to guide and oversee the implementation of this Agreement.
Signatories: Eritrean President Isayas Afewerki and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali
Comment of signatories: Comprehensive peace agreement
The peace agreement was signed in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on 16 September 2018.
Third parties: King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attended the signing.
Full-text peace agreement
2019
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Eritrea): n/a
Side B (Government of Ethiopia): n/a
2020
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Eritrea): n/a
Side B (Government of Ethiopia): n/a
2021
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Eritrea): n/a
Side B (Government of Ethiopia): n/a
2023
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Eritrea): n/a
Side B (Government of Ethiopia): n/a
2025
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Eritrea): n/a
Side B (Government of Ethiopia): n/a
Dyad Archive
This section contains annual information no longer systematically collected by the UCDP.
1998 Dyad Archive
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiations: Many mediation attempts were made and peace plans were proposed, mainly by the United Sates, Rwanda and the Organisation for African Unity, OAU, throughout the year. A partial cessation of hostilities agreement was made when the two parties agreed to halt air strikes in mid-June. The only time both warring parties seemed to have negotiated though was in Ouagadougou on 7-8 November, at the peace talks hosted by the OAU mediation committee. The committee held separate talks with the two groups discussing the latest OAU peace proposal, called the Framework Agreement.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
1999 Dyad Archive
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: Ceasefire
Date of termination: 2000-06-18
Comment on Termination: On 18 June the parties signed a preliminary ceasefire and agreed to work toward a final settlement. From this day the use of armed force ceased and the peace agreement was signed on 12 December.
2000 Dyad Archive
Comment on Yearly Battle Related Deaths: This figure only indicates the absolute minimum of deaths; the real number is probably much higher.
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiations: ndirect proximity talks were held in Algiers from 29 April to 5 May when technical arrangements, intended to lead to the implementation of previously accepted plans for a peaceful settlement, were discussed. The negotiations were blocked due to different demands on the order in which a ceasefire and the signing of agreements should come. On 18 June the foreign ministers of the two countries signed a cessation of hostilities agreement following further proximity talks in Algiers from 29 May to 10 June. In October the parties met again for indirect talks in Algiers with the aim of turning the cessation of hostilities agreement into a final peace accord.
After the signing of the 18 June ceasefire accord, the UN Security Council established the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), comprising of around 4000 peace keepers. Parallel to the political process, talks specifically related to the peace keeping mission were held in the so-called Military Co-ordination Commission (MCC), established by UNMEE as provided for in the Agreement of Cessation of Hostilities. The commission was inaugurated in November and held its first meeting on 2 December. The MCC is chaired by the Force Commander of UNMEE and includes representatives of the two parties and of the OAU.
Victory: NO
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: Peace Agreement
Date of termination: 2000-06-18
2001 Dyad Archive
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiations: During the year the parties met and discussed military issues in the Military Co-ordination Commission (MCC), the only channel for direct and regular contact between the parties.
The first three of the eight meetings that were held during 2001 (on 6 February, 28 Februray and 6 April) concerned the establishment of the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ), mine information, development of protocols, discussions of troop red-deployment, restoration of Eritrean militia and police in the TSZ, freedom of movement for UNMEE personnel and the need for the parties to plan for custom and immigration control at the southern boundary of the TSZ.
At the fourth meeting of the year (on 21 April), the parties decided to establish three sector-level MCCs. Furthermore, the repatriation of the remains of soldiers from the TSZ was discussed.
The remaining four meeting of the year (held on 27 June, 8 August, 29 October and 28 November) mainly concerned the freedom of movement for UNMEE personnel, the need to maintain the integrity of the TSZ as well as of the agreed demobilisation and the return of IDPs.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2002 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2003 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2004 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2005 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2006 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2007 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2008 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2009 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2010 Dyad Archive
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2016 Dyad Archive
Negotiations: NO
Comment on Negotiations: There were no negotiations in 2016.
Victory: NO
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: No or Low Activity
Date of termination: 2016-12-31
Comment on Termination: On 9 July 2018, Eritrea's President Isaias Afewerki and Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, signed a joint declaration formally ending the state of war between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
2017 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2018 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2019 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2020 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2021 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2023 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2025 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
