Secretary-General Welcomes Eritrea, Djibouti Agreement to Resolve

 

Border Conflict through Negotiated Settlement

 

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General welcomes the agreement signed by Eritrea and Djibouti on 6 June 2010, under the auspices of the State of Qatar, to resolve through a negotiated settlement the border conflict between the two countries which erupted in March 2008.  The Secretary-General expresses his deep appreciation for the mediation efforts of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, which led to the signing of the agreement by President Ismael Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, and President Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea.  The agreement entrusts Qatar with establishing a mechanism for the resolution of the border dispute and the normalization of relations between the two countries.  The Secretary-General is encouraged by this positive development which he believes will contribute to long-term peace and stability in the Horn of Africa region.

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For information media • not an official record