Understanding African relationships: The case of eritrean Ethiopian border dispute

Abstract

Boundary disputes are among the most explosive international flashpoints. They frequently correlate with militarised interstate disputes and are more likely to lead to high-intensity conflict compared to other forms of friction. The Eritrea-Ethiopia peace process remains stalled a decade after the arbitral award by the Boundary Commission and several years after awards by the Commission. To this end, I analyse primary and secondary sources and assesse why arbitration by the commissions did not produce the desired outcome. This paper examines the Eritrean-Ethiopian border dispute from 1998 to the present and explains the case while searching for solutions. In detail, the analysis first sheds light on the dispute as well as previous attempts at settlement. Second, a new theoretical approach is introduced in the form of conflict resolution theory. Finally, an analysis of the peace process in light of this theoretical tool is used to offer a prognosis of the future.